


One More Time

by ChibiEnvyChan



Category: Bleach, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Aliases, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Gore, Cute!Cloud, Dorks, Dragons, F/F, Fivesome - M/M/M/M/M, Intelligent!Zack, M/M, Multi, Mysterious!Coud, Not Really Twins, Original Character(s), Pet Names, Sane!Genesis, Sane!Sephiroth, Shinigami, So Much Snark, Split Entity, Threesome - M/M/M, Time Travel Fix-It, Unknown Enemy, Water & Ice, Whipped!Zack, dorky love, gore galore, lots of profanity, so much love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-05-25 07:22:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 38,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6185737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibiEnvyChan/pseuds/ChibiEnvyChan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Old friends, new allies, unknown enemies. What does that spell? A recipe for disaster. No one said saving the world would be easy. Try saving the world and its future! With THE enemy lurking nearby and Gaia weakened, Zack is sent back to change the course of history. For better or worse? Time will tell. Looks like Zack may be the hero he has always wanted to be. Or he may wind up to be a zero.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. And Then It Began

**Author's Note:**

> Title: One More Time
> 
> Author: Chibi Envy Chan
> 
> Rating: M
> 
> Pairings: AGSZC, rest will be revealed
> 
> Warnings: Boy/Boy and Girl/Girl Love, OCs
> 
> Summary: When time flies, it really flies.
> 
> Notes: There will be slight crossover later. There's a reason behind it. Repost from fanfiction.net.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII or Bleach. Never did. Never will. What a shame.

Throughout history, good and evil fought hard against in each other in a never ending war. Neither side gaining complete victory over the other, but neither side completely losing. Yet in spite of all these clashes, one could not exist without the other. They needed each other to define themselves. Good could not exist without knowing what was evil. Evil could not exist without the knowledge of good.

Long before Jenova arrived, an unknown entity, a calamity, fought against the forces of Gaia. It was an epic war that lasted centuries and continued until today, however, this was a cycle, an endless waltz: peace, restlessness, and war. Everyone danced to this tune whether they knew it or not. Some like it and some didn't. It was a hit or miss.

The land became scarred with all the fighting. Many perished. Even though one side 'won' (gained the upper hand), both sides suffered losses. In the fight between the Cetra and the unknown entity went back and forth as to who held the upper hand, a tug of war on a large scale with devastating results. Eventually the Cetra managed to gain an upper hand and keep it. The unknown entity retreated in the deepest recess, recovering its strength and biding its time.

Due to the intensity of the fighting and severity of the damage, both Gaia and the Cetra needed a long time to recover. First the flora began growing in the burned and charred areas, which was followed by the creatures that eat them, the herbivores and omnivores. Once they were back, the predators made a comeback, including human kind. As the land flourished, the inhabitants increased exponentially.

Peace reigned supreme, but it was not to last.

Jenova arrived with the intent of conquering the entire planet, infecting it with her essence. Not at full strength, the Cetra were pressed to defend the planet. Many perished in the fight against this new threat, this new calamity. One by one until it came down to a small group. One person was all it took to make a difference. Just one person. One Cetra stood out amongst the survivors. She led the remaining forces against Jenova, and when it seemed victory was around the corner, Jenova brought out her trump card. She brought her greatest weapon. In response, the leader of the Cetra sacrificed herself to seal this calamity and her weapon.

After fighting against two powerful enemies, Gaia became severely weakened. The planet needed even more time to recover, however, this was not meant to be. An enemy rose from the ashes, but this was not some powerful force. No. It was rather weak compared to the prior enemies. In a sense, this enemy held the power of influence. He could manipulate things and people in his interest, disregarding everyone else except his bottom line.

This enemy was human, and a large one at that.

Shinra started a company with profit in mind, thus, wanting the cheapest way of gaining it. Since many people required a form of energy in their everyday life, he figured he could tap into this industry, but first he needed to find a source of energy. He searched for the cheapest energy and found it in Gaia. Soon enough, he began draining away the energy of Gaia for his own greed. As the need of energy increased, his company expanded, taking away more and more energy.

This was not without its risks. Mutated creatures and rebels made it hard for Shinra to continue his business. He could not rely upon the local forces to take care of these new threats so he hired scientists to create a strong warrior, one that could stand up against the powerful mutated creatures.

Thus SOLDIER was created. Normal humans strengthened with a mixture of mako and Jenova cells. It took a certain type of person to withstand this concoction. Many became victims of mako poisoning until they figured out a protocol, but this was not enough for Shinra. He needed an ultimate weapon, one huge trump card. Instead of waiting for the SOLDIER to be born, the scientists decided to start as soon as possible, at the fetal stage.

The ultimate weapon grew up into a fine, young man. He fought for this electric company though he began questioning who he was and what he was there for. That started the chain reaction of him leaving the company and joining Jenova in her conquest of the planet. In all that, a small band of rebels, Avalanche, stood up against the two. They triumphed every single time.

Jenova was defeated once and for all. With her out of the way, the planet had a chance to recover or so they thought.

The unknown entity took this opportunity to strike while its enemy was weakened from a powerful enemy and human greed. All this time, it spent recovering its energy and building its army out of the eyes of anyone. Gaia rallied the heroes of the previous war and her remaining forces against this enemy, but this was not enough. They needed a miracle.

Four figures surrounded a pool of water, all sporting grim expressions. The water showed various activities, none of which were favorable for these people. If anything, they became more and more restless as the fighting progressed.

"Dammit!"

"Zack, language!"

"Sorry," Zack muttered as he lowered his head. "It's just frustrating. I wanna help Spikey."

A large hand came down on Zack's shoulder before grasping it. "I know. I know that all too well. We all feel the same way." He looked at the other two people.

"Thanks, 'Geal," Zack said with a small smile. He placed hand on his mentor's hand and then looked at the only female in the group. "Aerith, is there anything we can do?"

The pink clad female looked up from the water. "I wish I can answer your question. I really do, but… I can't." Being a spirit allowed her access to certain abilities, but it took away others, namely a way to affect the physical world to an extent. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," the fourth person in the group spoke up. His green eyes looked over his three companions. "You've done nothing wrong. If it wasn't for my actions, we wouldn't be in this predicament."

"Seph," Angeal started, full of concern. He released his grasp from Zack before pulling his friend in a hug.

Sephiroth stiffened upon contact, not being used to such a warm embrace. He returned that hug with uncertainty. "I –"

"I know, it took me some time to get used to it," Angeal said as he eyed a certain former first class SOLDIER. To think, it took a fighting prodigy to draw that human part of him, being able to interact with others without intimidating them or boring them to death. "And it's not your fault." He looked to the other two for confirmation of his statement.

While Aerith remained silent, Zack had strong opinions on this, which he wasn't afraid to voice. "Not completely your fault. If it wasn't for that bitch, you wouldn't have thought about doing those things. She took advantage of you when you were vulnerable and twisted the truth for her selfish needs."

"I know, but I made those decisions," Sephiroth muttered in a dark tone. "I did it willingly."

"You were manipulated," Angel said with a soft manner.

"Yeah, don't make me come over there and punch you," Zack said as he slammed his right fist into his left palm, causing Aerith to giggle. "I mean it. Don't beat yourself up for it. I'll do it for you." He grinned and pouted when a hand smacked him upside his head.

"Zack," Angeal warned and crossed his arms over his broad chest.

"I know. I know," Zack whined. "Still there's gotta be something we can do."

"Genesis is helping," Angeal said, referring to his childhood friend. He turned his attention back to the water. With the way things were going, Genesis became the hero he always wanted to be, but there wouldn't be many people to celebrate it by the time the war was over. That was if they were victorious. "You know every bit helps."

Aerith nodded her head. In spite of this, it wasn't enough. They needed more, more fighters, more power. It seemed the enemy held the upper hand in all areas. It became very frustrating even for someone as patient as her.

"'Loveless,'" Zack grumbled as he located the title of the book that Genesis was holding. While that book was a classic, it gave a certain red head ideas. He thought the guy needed to expand his reading library. "I think he needs to find something new… too bad we can't rewrite it."

"Sometimes I wish I can rewrite my past," Sephiroth sighed a long one. He brushed aside a stray lock of silver hair. It was something he thought about every day. If he was offered one wish, just one wish, he wanted to redo many things.

"Time travel is impossible," Angeal said. He knew this all too well. In his time there, he made many attempts to go back in time, but he eventually came to accept this reality. Shifting his weight, he attempted to find another comfortable position.

However, it got Aerith thinking. She recalled the vast library of information at her disposal. "I think I have an idea. We will need to do a lot of reading, and I can pull a few strings."

"You mean the Cetra library?" Sephiroth inquired with a raised brow. He figured the others would be allowed to that wealth of information, but his admission was questionable.

The Cetra nodded her head. "Yes. I believe I can convince them to even let you in. We have a common enemy, and we're running out of options." She counted on the others to be desperate enough to allow a former enemy into the library. If not, then she needed to find another way for him to help out. There was always taking out the materials to a hidden location, but she knew they would catch on soon especially since she knew Sephiroth read at a fast rate. His retention capabilities astounded her.

"What are searching for exactly?" Zack asked, not having reading as part of his hobby list. He didn't hate it, but he didn't like it either. If he had a decision, he preferred action over words.

"Time travel."

Large stacks of books covered a table with four half-dead people surrounding it. Technically they were dead. They were in various states and positions, ranging from fast asleep to bleary eyed. For the past twelve or so hours, they scoured many books as evident by the numerous stacks decorating their work place.

Angeal poked his former student. When he didn't respond, he switched tactics and began tickling Zack in his weak points.

Zack jerked away, falling off his chair and gasping for breath. The sleep fog still hung around him and made it hard for him to grasp the situation quickly. "What?"

"You were snoring," Sephiroth said on the blunt side, not bothering to lift his head from the table. At least, he wasn't drooling all over the pages. Good thing Aerith moved the book before puppy drool ruined it.

"It's not like other people are here," Zack pouted. He blinked several times, trying to figure out what happened to the book he was reading. "I swore I had it here."

"There's nothing useful in it," Aerith answered before closing yet another book. "I looked through it while you were sleeping."

"I'm going to grab some more books," Zack said and staggered to his feet. He grasped the edge of the table for balance and shuffled off to the nearest bookcase. It seemed like they were going to read every book in that damned library. So far, this was the most books he read, more than all the ones he read for his academics.

The black haired spikey male meandered through the aisles with no destination in mind. He took a split second to read the titles. Many of the titles appeared to be irrelevant to what they wanted to find. Cookbooks were useful except for now. Maybe he should consider giving a certain someone one of these along with a fire extinguisher. He doubted the recipient would be happy to receive this little gift. It didn't help the guy tended to possess a short fuse and a pyromaniac tendency. Good thing they had healing materia.

Next came a section on flowers and gardening. His thoughts drifted back to his former mentor. He remembered the guy was into organic food and used as much as he could, however, being in the city, he was limited due to the scarcity of good land available. There were more mouths to feed than farmers. That industry was not a thriving one. Well not there. He figured one leisure reading wouldn't hurt. Not knowing much about plants unless he was eating, he picked one that had a nice looking spine and title. Angeal better appreciate this.

Materia… they had yet to read all the books in that section. This was one of the subjects he actually enjoyed reading and researching. It was also the reason why the others read books from other sections, giving him that section. Granted it wasn't as large as the others, nonetheless, it wasn't small either.

Zack eyed the remaining books on the shelves and sighed. So far, he was halfway through his section. He grabbed a few books, not bothering to read the title before snatching them and headed to the table. Seeing as there wasn't much space available, he placed the books on his chair, ignoring the looks his companions gave him. He picked a large stack at random. Instead of setting it in another place, he looked at the title of the book on the top and knew where it went. Thanks to having to look around the large room, he returned the books into their places though he made a point to set it aside so the others knew they already read them.

The stacks began to disappear as he placed them away. It took him a good half hour to clear off half the table. Once space was available, the others adjusted their to read stacks, allowing them space to read without feeling cramped. They sent him their silent thanks. Seconds later, they buried their noses in their respective books.

Zack selected a book from the pile he grabbed. When he read the title, he smiled. He picked the one he thought Angeal would enjoy reading for leisure during a break. After turning the book to the back, he read the summary. It was quite strange the ancients possessed books that looked similar to the ones the humans created and owned. Zack decided to flip through the book so he could tell Angeal what it was about. Plus it could use it in a conversation. It would be nice to discuss things other than fighting, weapons, and tactics.

As he skimmed through the pages, Zack tucked away the information. Sure, he didn't remember the details though he understood the general idea. His eye widened, and he jumped up, knocking his chair over in the process. The loud noise grabbed the attention of the other three.

"Zack," Angeal started but stopped when he saw his former student's expression. "What is it?"

"I found it!" Zack held the book on the page for the others to see. A large grin crawled its way onto his face. He never thought he would find it in a book about plants.

Aerith's eyes widened. No wonder why she remembered reading it. She read through all the books they had on plants, but with so many, it was hard remembering which book she read it. "I can't believe it." She wanted to bang her head against the table. While she read many books, she concentrated on the plants section.

Angeal raised a brow upon seeing the title of the book. "Oh?"

"Ehehehehehe. I figured you might want to read it for fun," Zack said with a nervous chuckle and scratched the back of his head. It was by luck that he happened to pick the right book. Perhaps it was the goddess Genesis kept harping about. He never believed in any deity though he came close to it.

"That's thoughtful of you," Aerith said with a smile. She held out her hand for the book. When she received it, she flipped to the page Zack showed them. "Thanks."

"We'll need to figure out who to send back," Sephiroth said, a grim tone in his voice. He pupils became narrow. While he wanted to go, he knew all too well the risks involved, and that was something he was not willing to take a chance on. "I'm not going."

That left Angeal and Zack. Which one possessed a better chance of changing the past? Each of them held their strengths and weaknesses.

"You go," Angeal said, placing a hand on his former student's shoulder. His eyes told Zack he had faith in him and his abilities. "I know you'll make me proud. Make all of us proud."

Zack fidgeted, finding his feet to be the most interesting thing on the planet. "I… I'm not sure about that."

"Don't underestimate yourself," Sephiroth said, backing up his fellow former first class. "You've accomplished many things." He found motivating others to action, but when it came to reassuring an individual, he left that to someone who was better at it than himself, namely Angeal and Micah.

"While she's reading, we'll start preparing for your trip," Angeal said, trying to resist the urge to return the books to their proper place. He tended to keep his place clean and organized.

"That sounds good," Zack said as he followed the older former SOLDIERs.

Zack figured he couldn't stuff anything else in his pack. The pack wasn't large to start with. Their design was originally for students. Since the trip required a vast amount of energy, they needed to limit the mass, but at the same time, there were a few things he needed to bring back. Zack went through his list once more: antidotes for degrading, mastered materia, an extensive first aid kit, and a notebook full of advice the others wanted him to remember. They wrote in such a way that only Zack would understand the meaning behind it.

That left one missing component. Sure, he could bring the Buster sword from this time, but it was a huge red flag for their past selves. They wanted him to work behind the scenes, not causing a scene. Zack brought up the point of him only having the standard SOLDIER sword. While it was useful, he knew it wasn't suited for his style of fighting. He preferred a blade with more weight to it. The way he used it looked like it was an extension of himself.

"I feel naked without a weapon," Zack said after he finished packing. He then began fidgeting.

"We have that covered," Aerith's mother, Ilfana, said as she approached the former SOLDIERs. She was proud of her daughter, taking the initiative to put an end to this seemingly endless war. When she reached Zack, she held out her hands, palms facing up. A soft glow appeared before a weapon similar to the Buster sword appeared. It hovered above her hands.

Zack reached out and grabbed the handle. While it was heavy, he found a familiar comfort in the weight. He took a few steps back as to not hit his benefactor before taking a few test swings. It was balanced, and he did not have to consciously modify his movements to accommodate his new weapon. "Thanks." Now that he possessed a weapon, he needed to figure out a way to hide it.

Ilfana chuckled. "You can summon it and send it back. When it's not in use, it will be a… tattoo somewhere on your body." No one knew where it would appear as each person was different. However, the mechanics to bring it out and send it back was the same.

Taking it as his cue, Zack concentrated on sending it back. He found it frustrating until he realized he was concentrating on it too much. This time, he imagined himself putting his sword away. It disappeared from his hand. When he attempted to summon it, he reversed the process. It appeared in his hand. "Awesome." He sent it back once more.

"Take care, Zack," Aerith said and hugged him. She placed a quick kiss on his cheek before allowing others to say their farewells.

"I have faith in you," Ilfana said. She too gave him a hug though not a kiss.

"I give you permission to kick my ass if I ever go down that path," Sephiroth said with a small smile. To Zack, it spoke in volumes. He braced himself when the bundle of energy pounced on him and gave him a hug.

This was repeated with Angeal, who responded by wrapping his arms around Zack and returning that hug. "I'm proud of you no matter what. I know you'll make the right decisions. Have faith in yourself. You've come a long way."

Before he could change his mind, Zack motioned for the ancients to start the ritual.

What had he gotten himself into?


	2. Crash Landing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They never said time travel included a crash landing pad as Zack finds out the hard way. Then he has to deal with the aftermath, but things aren't what they seem. Isn't it supposed to be his past? Why are things so different?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: There will be slight crossover later. There's a reason behind it. The story follows Zack as tries to make sense of it all.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII. Never did. Never will. What a shame.

Opening his eyes, Zack groaned. No one said traveling through time would be that brutal. Then again, how many actually accomplished that feat? While he wondered this, he figured any time traveling wouldn't be documented. However, he found something in those books. It wasn't blatantly obvious, but he knew what he was looking for.

The more pressing matter was where and when he landed. Using his senses, he attempted to figure out his location. He didn't feel anything hard so it meant he wasn't on the ground, however, it wasn't soft so his bed out of the question. He opened his eyes to find Angeal invading his personal space.

"Zack, how many fingers am I holding?" his mentor asked.

"Two," Zack replied. "What happened?" He accepted the assistance Angeal gave. Once he was on his feet, he discovered he was in the training room, the low tech one.

"I'm taking you to the medical wing," Angeal said, full of concern. He checked Zack for any signs of injuries.

Zack squirmed under Angeal's scrutiny. It felt too much like that time with that doctor. His instincts told him to escape, but his mind screamed this person was safe and trustworthy. There was nothing to fear from him as Angeal had his best interest in mind. "I'm fine. Really."

Angeal raised a brow at that statement. He paused in his search. "Humor me, please."

"Okay, but don't leave me," Zack said, feeling like a child. He trusted any doctor hired by Shinra as far as he could throw the president himself.

This caught Angeal by surprise. He school his expression to that of a neutral one. "I promise you I won't." Before his student could pick up his belongings, Angeal grabbed them, much to Zack's insistence and complaints.

Zack wasn't a girl who needed to be protected… no wait, he knew some women who were more than capable of handling men and defending themselves. He wasn't a princess though he knew one. She was a pain in the rear, but she became a valuable part of Cloud's team, Avalanche.

On the way to the medical wing, Zack fidgeted more than usual and lacked his normal bounce. His eyes darted from one side to the other as if he was expecting someone to ambush him at any moment. Every now and then the second class SOLDIER paused, listening for faint sounds and then moving on when he deemed them not hostile. Zack knew he shouldn't be behaving like this, but being on the run from ShinRa, he developed certain survival instincts. They helped him then. Now they made him stand out. He hoped Angeal wouldn't pick up on it though he doubted that was possible. The two had a close bond.

The entire walk was excruciating for Zack. He swore time seemed to slow down for the purpose of torturing him. It wasn't the end that made things nerve wracking. It was the waiting and knowing what was to come. He hated that. If given a choice, he'd pick taking the first class exams now than facing one of those doctors.

Doctors had needles. Needles contained strange things in them. That was the last thing he needed and wanted. The 'good' doctor used so many needles on Cloud and him. He lost count. Then again, he drifted in between states of consciousness and unconsciousness. He didn't know what day or year it was. One day seemed like any other day. They became blurred.

Once they reached the medical wing, Zack hesitated to open the door. He glanced over his shoulder, silently asking his mentor not to do this.

Angeal gave him that look, one that Zack recognized oh so well. He seemed to take a parental role in Zack's life, but at the same time, he didn't appear old enough. It was already known Angeal was an only child so he didn't have younger siblings to look after.

Zack appeared to be more of a puppy than a professional SOLDIER. He knew it. Angeal knew it. It was kind of hard to miss. The second class took a deep breath before sending a prayer to any deity for him to avoid that doctor, the one with more nuts than screws. He reached out and opened the door. With Angeal behind him, his escape had been cut off. Not that he could outrun the guy… well maybe with his future body. He wasn't even sure what condition his body was in. Hopefully he wouldn't be stuck with just his second class enhancements. As much as he hated that doctor, Hojo gave him a huge leap in his abilities.

"What can I help you with?" a young man asked, clipboard in hand. The way he dressed indicated his position there, a doctor. In spite of his friendly appearance and behavior, Zack found it unnerving being in his presence, and the guy was much shorter than him. Plus he looked more on the scrawny side.

"We were training," Angeal replied. An unknown communication played between him and the doctor.

Due to his youthful appearance, many people didn't take him seriously and thought it must be a joke someone was playing on them, but he proved himself over and over again. Those who worked with him knew his capabilities and that he was a child prodigy.

"Ah, I see," the young doctor said. "This way." He motioned for the two much taller SOLDIERs to follow him to one of the examining rooms. Once in the room, he logged onto the computer and pulled up the profile on one Zack Fair.

"Don't you need my name?" Zack asked, peering over the guy's shoulder. It wasn't hard to considering the differences of their height. Was that guy able to read minds? He started to panic until the doctor answered him.

"No, you've been here enough times I know you on sight." A mischievous smile appeared on his face. "Let's get your vitals." He clicked the mouse a few times, pulling up information on Zack's previous vitals.

Everything seemed fine until he took Zack's blood pressure. It was higher than an average second class SOLDIER, thus, worrying Angeal. While it wasn't anything to become alarmed about, it was something to be keep an eye on. Stress or bad health tended to be the culprits.

"Is he going through anything stressful lately?" the doctor asked, turning his attention to Angeal in spite of Zack being perfectly capable of answering.

"What am I? Chopped liver? I'm still sane," Zack pouted, making him appear more of a child than the doctor.

Angeal appeared to be amused. His posture indicated the opposite. He was anxious and nervous. There was no doubt he would be pacing back and forth if he had enough space. "The first class exams are coming up. He's in the middle of preparing."

Yet they seemed to know it was not that reason for Zack being high strung and wanting to escape. However, they didn't voice their thoughts for which the second class was grateful for. He knew it would come up in time, just not now.

"Is it that time again?" the doctor asked, not happy with the situation. Every single time those tests came, people tended to become stress out and do stupid things, which landed them in the medical wing for preventable injuries. It also tied up their resources, and many complained the whole time they were there. So there was no doubt any doctor or nurse would be fed up with this behavior. The majority of the injuries were from cadets attempting to show off their skills, often without proper supervision and/or training.

"Yes, it's that time," Angeal said, confirming it. "Look on the bright side. It's the exams to advance to first class."

"I'm not sure that's a good thing or not," the doctor stated and pressed his lips into a thin line. He moved over to the computer for entering his notes and observations. "Cadets lack the strength, but they make for it in numbers. Second classes, no offense, come in with more severe injuries. I suppose it's a good they're pumped full of mako. Many wouldn't survive."

"No offense taken," Zack said, waving his hand and dismissing the supposed offense. "I've seen some of the stupid things they do to impress General Sephiroth or some hot looking gal." Many thought of him as a superficial person, but to him, he looked beyond the surface. Plus the idea of women having a large chest didn't appeal to him. He wanted someone who was modest and patient since it was needed when dealing with him.

Angeal coughed behind his hand in his attempt to hide his chuckle. It didn't work as Zack heard it and sent his mentor a glare. "I will make sure he's not pushing himself beyond what he can handle." He gave Zack that look most parents would give their children when they were caught doing something they weren't supposed to be doing.

"Hm… that's a good start. As much as I like spending time with you, I'd rather not see you. Well in this room." The doctor clicked on the save button once he finished entering all the information.

"Are we done?" Zack asked, fidgeting on the examining table. He stopped when two pairs of eyes fell on him.

"Yes, we are," the doctor said. He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Now if you don't mind, I have other duties I must see to."

"We won't keep you from it, doctor…" Angeal struggled with a name.

"Iseki," the doctor replied. He was about to motion to his nametag when he realized it wasn't there. Blushing he fished through his pockets before producing his nametag and placed it on his white coat.

"Thanks, Seishiro," Zack said as he slid off the table. He whined when he felt someone smack him upside his head. "What did I do?"

"Be respectful," Angeal informed him and turned his attention to the doctor. "Thank you, Doctor Iseki." He ushered his student out of the room. "Zack, sometimes I wonder what goes through your mind"

"Do you?" Zack asked with an impish smile. He bounced away when his mentor attempted to swat him, thus, missing him completely.

Angeal shook his head and sighed. How many times had he sighed that day? "I know I'm lenient with you, but do try to behave professionally in front of others." The thought of losing Angeal as a mentor made his stomach lurch. If they thought Angeal wasn't doing a good job of training him, they wouldn't hesitate to find a replacement, someone who wasn't as soft as him.

"I'll try," came the meek reply.

"That's all I ask," Angeal said. He reached out and ruffled Zack's hair, appearing as if he was petting a puppy. This gained the two a few looks on their way back to their shared apartment. "When we're alone, you can be yourself. I won't hold it against you." In fact, Angeal encouraged him to be true to himself and not let others determine who he was at the core.

"You're the best!" Zack pounced on Angeal, almost sending the two to the ground. Thank goodness for fast reflexes as the first class managed to grab onto a nearby wall to regain his balance. "I don't want anyone except you."

In response, Angeal smiled. It was that warm fuzzy feeling all around. "I can't imagine not having you as a student."

Seeing a head of blond hair, Zack became distracted. He couldn't help but look in that direction. It was too far for him to make out who it was, but he was sure he saw a head of blond spikey hair. He wanted to run and hug that person. A cough broke that spell. Turning around, Zack found his mentor truly amused.

"See something you like?"

This time Zack blushed. He attempted to form entire sentences, but it came out as strange noises. When he couldn't be articulate, he switched to whining. A few passing first classes snickered at the sight of Angeal dealing with his student. They wouldn't have dared to do that should Sephiroth or gods forbid Genesis have a student, but the two of them had zero tolerance for this kind of behavior.

"I'm teasing you," Angeal stated the obvious and handed over Zack's bags to him. He never questioned what was inside the mysterious bag for which Zack was grateful for. A growl caught his attention.

Zack laughed nervously while scratching the back of his neck. His stomach demanded to be fed and be fed right now.

Angeal chuckled. "It seems someone is hungry. I'll prepare dinner. It's the showers for you." He poked Zack on his chest.

"What about you?" Zack asked as they resumed their trek.

"What about me?" Angeal replied.

"Shouldn't you clean up too?"

"Do you want to eat later?"

"… That sounds like a good idea," Zack said, his normal bounce returned. He lapsed into silence until they reached the elevator. "Angeal."

"Yes?"

"Do you think he'll be overseeing the exams?" Zack hoped General Sephiroth would be the one in charge of it. Not that he didn't like Micah. The guy was great when dealing with the potential SOLDIERs and lower ranked ones.

"Who?" Angeal asked, swiping his card into the security reader.

"You know!" Zack whined.

"Relax, he won't bite you," Angeal said. He ruffled Zack's messy hair once more. Was this what it was to have a pet? "Of course, General Sephiroth would be overseeing it. He's in charge of first class. Just as I'm in charge of second class."

The elevator doors opened to reveal a frustrated Genesis. Eying the two, he appeared to be on edge, but over what? Zack wondered if it was the red head's turn for a booster. Even Angeal needed them every now and then. Just not as much as a regular first class.

"Gen, what's wrong?" Angeal asked out of concern. Once inside the elevator, he placed an arm around his childhood friend. This was not typical Genesis behavior. In fact, it was the opposite.

"Everything is wrong. That's what," Genesis growled before punching the side of the elevator. Due to a few incidents, all walls in rooms SOLDIERs frequented were reinforced. Shinra grumbled about the initial cost, but when he saw the savings from not having to repair them, he began rethinking more than a few things.

"Is that so?"

Genesis eyed Zack. "I'll tell you later when we're alone."

"Confidential information?" Angeal pried. He glanced over to Zack.

In the organization, there were levels of security. Cadets and non-military personnel received very little to no information. Just their orders and that they were supposed to carry them out. MP was a step higher since they needed information to carry out their assigned missions. However, the information was on a need to know basis. Third class received more intel as they led groups of MP under the watchful eyes of a second or first class SOLDIER. At this level, they were granted privileges such as access to food that looked edible, to high tech training equipment, material, their own weapons, a higher pay, and an apartment shared with three others instead of being crammed into one room like sardines. Since second class led missions and mentored, they were granted an even higher level of clearance. First class was the highest security access level a SOLDIER could obtain. While General Sephiroth held a high position, they didn't grant him access to all information. There were areas where he couldn't reach without someone knowing.

"More like personal," Genesis grunted. Sure, this first class SOLDIER had a personal life. Very few saw behind the façade now that Zack thought about it. Genesis loved to show off, to prove he was a hero, and to be treated like one. Underneath it all lied a mystery. Perhaps Genesis was too good at fooling people that he even fooled himself into believing it.

"I understand," Angeal replied. Good old Angeal, respecting other people. Heh.

That book made an appearance. By now, Genesis should have it memorized and be able to recite it in his sleep. Hell he should be able to recite it while totally smashed. It took a lot of alcohol for a first class SOLDIER to become drunk. Zack figured it to be around an entire bar's worth unless it happened to be the very strongest.

Genesis muttered as he read the pages. He ignored the second class. Not that Zack minded it. Fighting the red head and his many clones, it would take a while for him to get used to thinking he wasn't an enemy. No, he would be given a second chance, just like Sephiroth and his mentor.

There was that smile on Angeal's face He shook his head. Even without reading, he knew what title the book was. It was the infamous book, and part of the reason why it was successful. Who in their right mind would pass up having their product endorsed by a first class SOLDIER of their status? Granted with Sephiroth, it was on a whole new level, and the reason why he never accepted any offers to promote their merchandise.

The trip to their floor took too long. Zack glanced between Angeal and Genesis, noting the distance between them… or rather the lack of distance. The three of them took up a considerable amount of space, but the elevator was designed to haul large furniture up.

"Are you two dating?"

Angeal choked on air while Genesis froze and dropped his book. Their reactions was enough for Zack. They were dating. It felt like forever until the two first classes regained their composure and dignity. Genesis picked up his book and checked for any damages, trying to look busy.

"What gives you that idea?" Angeal asked in an almost even voice.

"Just the little things," Zack said, a huge smile on his face. "You know spending a lot of time together in one of your apartments, the way you know what the other is feeling or thinking, how close you stand together, and you're constantly eying each other." He ticked off each sign. "And they're just the blatant ones."

Genesis placed his hand on his face. "I don't believe this."

"You're not the only one," Angeal added. "We didn't want to tell you because… because." He looked over to Genesis for support.

The red head held up his hands. He didn't know how to deal with this.

"It's okay," Zack assured the two. "I'm not that naïve as you think. SOLDIERs have to be careful when doing the bed tango with women. It's easier to go wild with a fellow SOLDIER. Plus there's less of a chance of having a kid."

Angeal sighed with relief. He must have thought Zack wouldn't accept their relationship.

"So long as you're happy, I'm happy," the second class said as he placed an arm around his mentor in a friendly manner. "Love is love. Who am I to stand in the way of it?"

"I think your puppy hit his head." Genesis placed his book away.

"He did during training," Angeal replied, sounding guilty about it.

Genesis raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh?"

"Knocked me out," Zack supplied.

"Really?" Genesis said, his frustration and anger disappearing.

"Yeup," Zack chuckled. "He even brought me to the medical wing. It turned out I'm fine."

Angeal looked like he wanted to become one with the wall. When it came to his lover and student, he spent time with them separately due to the constant bickering. Now it appeared the two were friends.

The elevator dinged, indicating they reached their floor, thus, saving Angeal from any more embarrassing conversation. So he thought. Instead heading to his apartment, Genesis decided to crash over at Angeal's.

"Did I ever tell you about that time 'Geal and I played in the apple fields?"

Angeal groaned.


	3. Chocobo Hunting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zack searches for the elusive golden chocobo. Will he be successful? Then again, it's Zack. Enough said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Importing all chapters here from ff.net at once. ^^; Then I'll be posting new ones soon on both sites! :D

Rating: M

Pairings: AGSZC, rest will be revealed

Warnings: Boy/Boy and Girl/Girl Love, OCs

Notes: There will be slight crossover later. There's a reason behind it.

Disclaimer: Chibi doesn't own Final Fantasy VII. If she did, Zack wouldn't be dead and Cloud would be living with someone else.

Chocobo Hunting

As it turned out, the younger version of Genesis was sane for the most part. He tended to have some strange ideas though, but they were far from trying to take down ShinRa. It happened they have more in common than they thought. His younger self wouldn't have taken the time or energy to get past that façade. This one knew better.

When he wasn't busy with his first class exam preparation or attempting to find an elusive golden chocobo, Zack could often be found in the company of either Angeal or Genesis. This surprised his mentor in the beginning, but nonetheless, he encouraged the two of them to get along with each other. Genesis couldn't believe Zack had an interest in classical literature. Then again, the red head barely knew the second class. It was no surprise. Zack took it upon himself to read novels other than Loveless. Thus, making Genesis read it if he wanted to understand Zack. Many SOLDIERs were surprised to see Zack with an actual book that wasn't required reading. They were dumbfounded when they saw Genesis reading something other than his usual book. It was as if the world was ending.

Zack thought they were exaggerating. At least his efforts paid off. The red head started reading other books and stopped obsessing over that one book. To think, all it took was time and patience. Not to mention, a lot of reading. Many first class SOLDIERs did double takes when they saw either of them: Zack for having a book and Genesis for not having his usual red book. For some reason, the second class found it amusing to see their reactions. After some time, they become accustomed to the two with their books, which then became the new normal.

In spite of his constant searching, he couldn't find Cloud anywhere. Now as a second class SOLDIER, he possessed a high security clearance level, but he needed to be discreet about it. This wasn't just an average person. No, this boy was destined to become the planet's hero, her champion. He searched without drawing attention to himself, which was hard even at his age. It helped he was friendly with everyone so no one gave it second thoughts when he wandered around the building.

"Why can't I find him?" Zack muttered and allowed his head to drop onto the table with a loud thud. It felt like running around circles. The thought brought up an image of a hamster wheel. He snorted at the image his mind pulled up. Terrific.

"Can't find who?"

Zack knew that voice all too well. He jerked to one side and fell off his chair. Oh crap. Attempting to scramble to his feet and salute his commanding officer was a horrible idea. He tripped on himself and was caught by strong arms. Zack fought down a blush. He swore he was going to spontaneously combust at any moment now.

"General Sephiroth. I wasn't expecting you." Zack mentally kicked himself for that. What happened to his usual charisma and smooth talking tongue? It went on vacation. That was what. He managed a decent salute with as much dignity as he could muster. Barely anything.

"At ease SOLDIER," Sephiroth commanded in a low voice. In spite of his volume, he commanded respect, and when he spoke, everyone ceased their conversation to listen. "Did you lose someone?"

Zack scratched the back of his neck. "Ah. About that." At this time, Cloud would have no idea who he was. In fact, many people outside the SOLDIER wouldn't. They called him an upcoming star. He preferred to be called a hero. "I saw him a few times and thought he could use a friend. Er… no need to take time from your busy schedule to help. I'll just be on my way."

'How wonderful, Zack. You looked like a moron and sounded like a high school girl.' He wanted to kick himself for not thinking before he spoke.

"Does this person have a name?" Why was THE GENERAL Sephiroth being so nice to him? Zack remembered him being distant and cold.

"Um… I didn't get his name," Zack replied. It was true. He never asked the cadet for his name. They had yet to meet. "I do know what he looks like. He isn't that interesting, and he doesn't look like he's… adjusting to the SOLDIER program."

Sephiroth rubbed his chin, pulling up information. "So he's part of this year's cadets."

Zack nodded his head. "According to his uniform. Yes."

"I need specifics," Sephiroth reminded him. It took everything in him to not run away. While this was at typical result of some fan girl or fan boy, it was the opposite for him. He remembered the out of control silver haired man, remembered the way he killed everyone in the village, and then burned it to the ground.

"If you see him, he looks like a golden chocobo." Zack hesitated for a moment.

The General pressed his lips together, his brows knitted. That meant he was thinking over something. The gears were turning in his head, but it could be something else. Green eyes looked down at him. Their differences in height made Zack feel slightly jealous though he supposed it was better than Cloud being vertically challenged. Then there was that doctor who looked more of a kid than someone in the medical profession.

"I see," Sephiroth said after a moment. "We have one cadet who fits that description. By any chance, does he have blue eyes?"

"Yes! Pretty blue eyes," Zack said with uncontained glee. As much as he wanted to glomp Sephiroth, he doubted the silver haired SOLDIER would appreciate it. If anything, it would be detrimental to his health and shorten his lifespan drastically. There were many things he needed to do before he went to the other side.

"'Pretty?'" Sephiroth repeated.

Scratching the back of his head, Zack let out a nervous laugh. "Yeah. I mean… they're so blue. Um… forget that part. I guess it's a nice shade of blue." Not like his. They had yet to be defiled with mako brightness.

Sephiroth shook his head, sighing a soft one. "I never understand how Angeal does it."

Was that a joke? A joke from the uptight and way too serious Sephiroth? Zack pinched himself. Sure, it was sarcasm, but nonetheless, it meant the General had a sense of humor even if it happened to be a dry one.

"Yes?"

"Ah nothing!" Zack wheezed out. The scuffling of chairs caught his attention. He looked around them, noting the other SOLDIERs giving the two wide berth. They probably started upon sighting Sephiroth. While he was awe inspiring, many tended to be intimidated by him. Zack blamed it all on the hype Shinra did.

"Have you seen Angeal?" Sephiroth inquired. So the two of them were in search of someone. "I haven't seen him, and we have an unscheduled meeting in less than an hour." Meetings were generally scheduled a day in advance with the exception of an emergency meeting. Those came without any warning or notice. They also tended to be very stressful and often resulting in some sort of injury.

"Have you tried calling his PHS?" Zack received that look, the one reserved for foolish or stupid people. Over time, he picked up the subtle signs of Sephiroth's feelings, but it took a long time. He was just as hard to read as those damned turkeys… Turks. "That's weird. He usually carries it on him, and on too. Maybe he was on the other line or something."

"If it was, it would have gone straight to voice mail," Sephiroth informed him, crossing his arms over his muscular chest and causing several third classes to pale a few shades. They also gave looks of pity to the unfortunate SOLDIER. "It rang several times, and I called him periodically."

If it had been at night, Zack's response would have been his mentor went to bed early. However, it was the afternoon, and Angeal wasn't one for napping unless he happened to be incapacitated due to injury or illness. Come to think of it, he had yet to see Angeal sick or too injured. The three possessed many materia, which included the healing one. If that didn't work, there was the standby healing potion. It tasted like death.

Since Sephiroth knew the missions schedules, Zack figured his mentor had not been assigned one. Plus Angeal hadn't mentioned anything about being away for a while. In those cases, Zack did studied by himself until the burly first class returned. "I know he doesn't have a girlfriend." He wasn't sure if Sephiroth knew about Angeal's relationship with the third person, Genesis.

"When you see him, tell him to call me," Sephiroth asked, not demanded. It was nice for a change, to start seeing that human side of him.

"Will do!" Zack gave a sloppy salute, but it was the effort that counted, right? At least he did it. He normally gave his patented two finger salute. If Sephiroth had anything against it, he overlooked it. Perhaps he wasn't as uptight as Zack originally thought him to be.

With his task accomplished, Sephiroth pivoted on his left foot and headed out of the SOLDIER cafeteria, ignoring the gawking and staring he received. It happened no matter where he went so over time he became accustomed to it and went about his business. The same went for Angeal and Genesis though not to the same level as the General.

Once The General was out of their hearing range (not Sephiroth's), the SOLDIERs exhaled with relief. Most of the ones in the cafeteria were second and third classes. They knew they didn't stand a chance against Sephiroth in any battle. He was too strong, and the company preferred him as he was their poster boy.

Thanks to the greedy ShinRa, there were two cafeterias: SOLDIER and others. SOLDIER cafeteria had decent grub. Not high class, but they more importantly they were edible and recognizable. Plus they were at a decent cost unlike buying from restaurants outside. The administration were paid more than they were worth according to many of the regular employees and SOLDIERs. This gave them enough to be able to dine out every day and not put a dent in their wallet. Some of them ate enough to feed an entire family, but that was a different story.

The other cafeteria was something people tried to avoid at all costs. However, there were many who could not afford to buy from restaurants, and they didn't possess a working kitchen to be able to prepare their meals. Even if they did, there was no doubt not enough room to store it along with a working fridge. For an electric company, one would think they could afford to spare some energy for a few working fridges. It was all about the bottom line. It was rumored some of the 'cuisine' were failed experiments from Hojo. Hence only the brave or the stupid tried anything that looked… mutated. So far, no one died, but many were sent to the medical wing, where the doctors were not pleased.

A hand brought his train of thought. Zack looked up to the owner of that hand before breaking out into a huge grin. "Hey Kun Kun! What brings you here?"

Kunsel punched his best friend in the shoulder. "I thought I told you not to call me that." He took a seat next to Zack. "I don't know how you do it."

"Do what?" Zack asked. His food sat half finished. While he had an appetite, this time he was lost in thought. It frustrated him to not be able to find Cloud. It was as if the blond was intentionally avoiding him. That was impossible. The little chocobo shouldn't know about him or rather they weren't supposed to be friends at this point. Perhaps he was intimidated or something like that.

"Talk to General Sephiroth," Kunsel said in awe. It was hard to tell what he was thinking as his mask covered most of his face. He placed his tray down on the table before glancing over to Zack's tray and raised a brow.

Zack shrugged. "It's not that hard if you see him as a human. He feels the same thing we do, and he bleeds like us. I mean he's the same as us except more enhanced. Yeah." That was smooth. Real smooth. But it was what he thought.

Kunsel's jaw dropped, eyes wide. He couldn't believe what Zack said about their general. "You're not kidding, right?"

"Nope. I'm being serious," Zack said and picked up his fork. He stabbed his meatloaf. It wasn't as good as his mother's, but he knew he was biased. Plus it was made with a lot of love. It helped it was fresh. "He's just as human as you or me. Sure, they go overboard with all the hype and whatnot, but you just gotta get past that barrier." He knew it took someone with a large amount of patience and understanding.

The expression Kunsel wore told Zack he didn't believe a single word.

In response, Zack sighed a long one. Waving his fork around, he attempted to explain it. "Sephiroth grew up in a lab and around scientists. Didn't give him a chance to be a kid and make friends. What I'm saying is he doesn't know how to interact with others. He has trouble when it comes to relationships."

"I gotta say you never cease to surprise me," Kunsel said with a smile. His eyes went to the piece of meatloaf on the fork. "Didn't your mother teach you not to play with your food?"

Zack laughed. "Maybe. I think she was too busy trying to get me to sit down and eat." He finally stuffed it in his mouth.

"And don't forget to not to speak with your mouth full," Kunsel teased. He chuckled when Zack stuck his tongue out.

"Angeal!" Zack took a running start to pounce on his mentor and found himself pouncing on thin air. He pouted. "Where have you been?"

The blush told him everything. Angeal unlocked the door to their apartment. "Spending time with a friend."

"Sure," Zack teased before finding himself in a headlock. He whined until he was released. It was good to see his mentor relaxing and being able to be himself. He bounded into their apartment, dumping his sword next to the door. When Angeal gave him that look, he backtracked and picked up his sword. They had a sword rack for a reason. Just as they had a closet for placing their coats and jackets and umbrellas and shoes. For that reason, they stocked it with air fresheners, industrial strength for industrial strength foul odors.

"What would you like for dinner?"

"Pizza!"

"No. You need a well balanced diet," Angeal chastised from the kitchen. "Fries doesn't count as part of our daily vegetable requirement." While it was considered a vegetable, the frying made it more of a junk food than healthy.

"You asked!" Zack said, wandering into the kitchen. He leaned against the doorway. "Oh. Seph was looking for you today. He said something about you not answering your PHS." He crossed his ankles.

"Seph?" Angeal asked as he paused in his preparation for whatever he was planning to make. The chopping board and knife as well as the vegetables laid out gave a clue as to what the first class intended to cook. It was something very healthy. He chuckled. The only two people who could get away with calling him that were himself and Genesis. Maybe Zack could worm his way into Sephiroth's heart.

"You call him that all the time," Zack pointed out. He knew Sephiroth preferred being called his full name or general. No one was brave enough to say that name to his face.

"That's because he allows me to," Angeal said and started to wash the vegetables. "We've known each other ever since we became SOLDIERs. It's… I guess that connection." Some relationships were hard to explain by science. It just happened.

Pushing off from the doorway, Zack made his way over to the sink where Angeal stood behind. "Need some help?"

Angeal looked up at Zack as if he had been replaced by an alien pod thing. "Sure. You can start with those over there. Cut them into thin strips." He motioned to the bell peppers. They had three different colors: red, yellow, and green. Zack never understood why they needed three different colors. Aerith told him they tasted different. He trusted her in matters concerning plants, edible or not.

"Okie dokie," Zack said. He washed his hands after Angeal stepped aside. "You never replied."

Angeal muttered something incoherent. He realized he hadn't responded to that statement. "Ah that. I already called him."

"That's good. What did he want to talk to you about?" Zack picked a random bell pepper and sliced it in half. He scooped out the inside especially the seeds. Since his mentor loved gardening, he placed the seeds some place safe.

Silence answered his question. So it meant it was something confidential and most likely concerning work as Angeal had no problems telling him things unless it involved work. If anything, it served to make him more determined to figure out what it was.

"It's nothing," Angeal said in what sounded to be a dismissive tone. "Nothing for you to worry about. You have those exams coming up. They're a little over a month away."

Zack decided to say nothing about it. He wouldn't get anywhere with it. His mentor could be as stubborn as himself when he didn't want to anything or say something. Time to bring up another subject, something on the lighter side. "So how did your date with Genesis go?"

Angeal paused in his search for something in the cabinets. "It went well."

"That's it?"

"You were expecting something else?"

Zack shook his head. Knowing Angeal, it was likely to be something low scale and not flashy. However, Genesis was a different matter. The guy loved to be flashy and showing off whenever he got the chance. "You're too dull." He pretended to be hurt when Angeal punched him on his shoulder.

"We wanted an afternoon away from the madness," Angeal said as he resumed his search for whatever he was first looking for. He found it moments later and produced what appeared to be noodles.

"Understandable," Zack said, nodding his head slightly. If he were in Angeal's shoes, he would want some time to himself or with his partner outside of work. Where he could relax and forget about the stress their positions brought. It was one reason why was grateful for being a second class as opposed to a first class. Less responsibilities, but he knew he needed that position in order to accomplish what he was sent back to do.

Seeing the number of boxes Angeal pulled out, the second class raised a brow. Sure, he ate a lot, but that was more than he normally ate even when he was starving.

"We're having company," Angeal answered Zack's silent question. He refused to say who it was just that they were having people over. Or maybe it was just one person. "Be on your best behavior, and I mean it."

Zack rolled his eyes. Contrary to what many people believe, he made a decent cook so long as he wasn't distracted. It was during those times he tended to burn things or have them turn out to be something that could compete with the death trap cafeteria.

"Yes, mother," Zack retorted. He grinned when he heard Angeal sputter something.

Dinner consisted of a lot of pasta, salad, bread, soup, and leftover sandwiches. It was a simple but filling meal. Also a large amount could be prepared in a short amount of time by one person. Angeal had not expected Zack to help out with the cooking as the second class seemed to have other things, but with his help, they managed to make dinner in no time and had time to lounge around before their guests arrived.

According to the number of placements, Zack figured they would be entertaining two guests. The two that came into mind were Genesis and Sephiroth. He knew the three of them were close. Close enough to invite each other for dinner at their quarters. He also managed to get Angeal to admit he didn't know the identity of the second guest. His guest was bringing a guest.

Zack wondered what he should do to kill his time. He trained earlier but showered in the SOLDIER showers. It was large enough for a dozen or so burly SOLDIERs to fit without them stepping on each other when they wanted to move. Also he wanted to mess around with his second class friends. A few first classes dropped by even though they had their own private showers. They weren't stuck up like many thought them to be.

If Genesis was visiting, then it would be a good opportunity to discuss the book the two of them had been reading. The red head picked out the book from his library. It was odd to find him with books other than Loveless, but he said most of them were gifts from 'friends.' More like acquaintances. Or they could be from his fan club. The three of them had large followings. He decided against it. At this point, he finished reading it.

Oh well. Zack plopped his rear on the couch and began feeling for the remote. It took him some time, but his fingers bumped into the hard surface. He pulled it out from underneath one of their throw pillows before flicking the television on. ShinRa propaganda hit him at full blast. It made him remember why he didn't watch television. ShinRa controlled what was aired, and they made sure it was full of material that made them look good.

The second class flipped through the channels, trying to find something decent to watch and kill time. He thought about doing his squats, but he didn't want to smell bad at the table especially when they had a guest or rather guests.

On his third trip around the channels, someone knocked on their front door. He turned the television off and bounced off the couch. Before Angeal could stand up, Zack reached the door and yanked it open. He stared into a pair of mako green eyes. Oh. Sephiroth. So who was the other person? Zack looked around him for the other but found no one. Then he looked down to see a crown of blond hair.


	4. One Cute Chocobo Captured

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zack successfully captures the elusive golden chocobo, but now what? Oh right. The drugs. Here let me stab you with these needles. It won't hurt that much... for me at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta-ed as I tend to post quickly... Oops? Let me know if you see anything.
> 
> Also this is mainly going to be from Zack's POV so there will be stuff going behind the scenes. I may make a few one shots to show it.

Rating: M

Pairings: AGSZC, rest will be revealed

Warnings: Boy/Boy and Girl/Girl Love, OCs

Summary: The future looks bleak. An old enemy returns to finish off what it started. With Gaia weakened, they have only solution.

Notes: Crossover starts here. No worries. The majority of the fic will be FFVII characters, but the few characters crossing over play a vital role in the plot. There will eventually be three, one of which is an OC.

Disclaimer: Chibi doesn't own either Final Fantasy VII or Bleach.

One Cute Chocobo Captured

Cloud Strife literally landed on his doorstep. Zack couldn't believe his eyes. Somehow Sephiroth managed to not only find the cadet but bring him to the second class as well. It was something unheard of as most people perceive The General too important for such a menial task. Everything he did needed to be glorious or important.

"Good evening, Fair," Sephiroth said, breaking the spell. "I believe Angeal is expecting us for dinner." Instead of his usual leather jacket and standard SOLDIER uniform, he wore civilian clothes, a pair of denim pants, a black button down shirt, and what appeared to be dressed shoes. Damn, Sephiroth looked good even though he was covering his broad chest.

"Ah, where are my manners?" Zack said and stepped aside to allow the two into the apartment. He kept his eye on the short cadet who wanted to bolt at any moment. Not that the second class blamed him. Who wouldn't want to when being asked to be Sephiroth's guest at a first class table in a first class apartment.

Angeal stood up to give Sephiroth their usual greeting. "Never thought you'd bring a cadet. Is he someone you have your eye on?"

Cloud attempted to make himself small and blend in with the background, but Zack behind him, it was hard to go anywhere without being caught. There was nothing special about him, and according to his records, he barely made the cut. He certainly wasn't someone who drew the attention of any first class SOLDIERs let alone The General.

"No. It's someone else," Sephiroth replied. He glanced over to the blond, who seemed to be uncomfortable in the situation.

Zack slung an arm over Cloud's shoulders. "Relax, take your mind off those pesky exams. We're here for fun."

It seemed the two first classes were leaving Cloud to him. They probably understood the blond needed someone around his age to talk to. That was what Zack wanted to think. After all, Sephiroth brought Cloud to him.

"So…" Zack rubbed the back of his neck nervously with his free hand. "I'm Zack Fair, SOLDIER extraordinaire. No need to feel shy. I don't bite unless you want me to." He waggled his brows.

Cloud didn't say a single word. Instead he looked everywhere except at the second class. He felt tense underneath his cadet uniform.

"Lost your voice?" Zack asked. He knew Cloud talked, just softly and not that often.

The blond shook his head. "I… I… I'm nobody."

"Hello, nobody!"

Cloud finally looked up at him with a pout. "It's Cloud…Cloud Strife."

"Nice to meet you, Cloud," Zack said and pulled the smaller body close to him. He then started to nudge the blond to the dining room.

In response, Cloud let out a squeak. He seemed reluctant to head to the dining room, but eventually caved in and allowed himself to be led. "Are you the one?"

"The one?"

Cloud sounded hesitant on answering the question. He pressed his lips together before licking them and looking oh so adorable. "General Sephiroth said someone was looking for me." Blue eyes looked up at him with such adorableness.

"Yeah, it's me," Zack said, leading Cloud to a chair next to him. He pulled out the chair as if the blond was his date. When Cloud glared at him, he chuckled. "Now, now princess."

This time Cloud blushed a bright red. He slid onto the chair and appeared on the verge of sliding right off to hide underneath the table. "You're insane."

Zack laughed. "Tell me something I don't know." He took a seat next to the cadet.

"Why?"

"Because I…" Zack couldn't tell him that one day he would become the planet's savior and that one day he would defeat Sephiroth, his idol. "I see potential in you." Yeah, that was a good reason and a logical one at that.

Cloud didn't seem to believe that. He gave that look, the one reserved for idiots… when did the kid learn something like that? Zack swore he must have been hanging around Angeal or maybe Sephiroth, but then again, his chances were little to none. First classes rarely took an interest in cadets with Zack being an exception.

"I don't lie!"

"Oh really?" Angeal said and ruffled the second class' hair. "What about the time you tried to get out of that test. Hm?"

Zack blushed profusely. "That was a hard test, and the teacher was an ass if you ask me." He crossed his arms over his chest and sulked like a teenager would, not caring if his appearance as a SOLDIER was compromised.

Sephiroth scoffed. "If it's Davis, then I don't blame you." Instructor Davis proved to be an unstable person, thus, not qualified for the SOLDIER program, but the powers that be saw it was a waste to let him go. Instead they offered him a job as an instructor, not realizing how jealous he would become. He thought he was supposed to be moving up in ranks, not helping others do what he wanted.

"Sephiroth?" Angeal queried. The two first classes took a seat across from the young ones.

"I've seen numerous reports on him," Sephiroth said, waving his left hand in a casual manner. "Let's say not a single one flatters him. If it weren't for someone, I would have fired him, and hired that kid."

"Kid?" Zack blinked several times.

Sephiroth gave a slight nod of his head. "He's a genius when it comes to tactics and strategies, but his appearance... he looks younger than what he really is. According to your mentor, you visited his twin."

"You mean Seishiro?" Zack questioned. Off to the side, he noticed Cloud stiffen a split second after he spoke that name, but that tension was gone as quickly as it came. So it seemed his little chocobo knew the doctor. His gears started turning. Well Zack knew Cloud to be a bully magnet so no doubt he would spend a lot of time in the medical wing.

"That's the one," Sephiroth replied. "He's one of the few doctors I trust. If you need to be healed, I recommend choosing him should he be available." Any recommendation given by Sephiroth was not to be taken lightly.

Angeal let out a breath of relief. "That's good to hear." The three SOLDIERs knew a certain someone tended to land in the medical wing due to him not being able to focus or being stupid. Maybe both.

"What does his twin do?" Zack helped himself to the bread. Seeing Cloud staring at his plate, he placed a couple of rolls in front of him. He rolled his eyes when the blond glared at him. That was the Cloud he came to love and appreciate.

"He's currently my secretary though it is a waste of his talent," Sephiroth said and placed a good portion of greens on his plate. Growing up in a laboratory meant he ate healthy or so Zack thought. He figured Hojo wanted his prized specimen to be in peak condition, which meant a healthy diet regimen.

"Name?"

"Hitsugaya Toushiro," Cloud answered instead.

"Man, that's a mouthful," Zack chuckled. He found that name to be hard to pronounce, but he figured the guy wouldn't mind having his named shortened, right? Those names sounded like they originated from Wutai. "Do you think they're from there?"

Sephiroth shrugged. "I've read their applications. It says they're from Japan." From what he recalled, Zack couldn't remember any places with the name of Japan. Maybe he didn't look hard enough. It could be a town or an entire continent for all he knew.

One pushed needles. The other pushed papers.

Thinking about it, Zack couldn't remember either of them in his past, but then again, he didn't pay much attention to the civilian side unless it was Aerith. Now she was someone he wouldn't mind visiting. Come to think of it, he had a hard time remembering the details unlike a certain first class SOLDIER.

No one wanted to voice their thoughts. The two might be spies for Wutai though so far the two had yet to do anything to warrant that distrust. Still it was in the back of people's minds. They were so young looking too, but they were both prodigies in their own right.

"So Cloud, how's classes going along?" Zack asked, switching to a safer topic. He hoped it was safer. Better be. Also at the same time, he could find more about Cloud and how to help him. Maybe he should start training him how to use a sword, but that meant finding an excuse. As it stood, there wasn't a reason for him to pay any attention to the cadet, assuming the blond ranked average.

Cloud dug into his bread, not wanting to answer that question.

"I get it. Hey, if you need any help, just let us know, kay?" Zack sad before giving Cloud's shoulder a squeeze. "I don't mind helping."

Angeal cleared his throat. "You still have your exams to study for, and need I remind you first class exams aren't easy."

Zack groaned at the thought of taking them. He remembered what it was like the first time around. The written portion almost held him back, but his practical work gave him the necessary points for promotion. "You just had to remind me."

"Ignorance is bliss," Sephiroth quoted. How right the silver haired SOLDIER was. "But it's also deadly." No one argued against that. Information was power. Zack needed all the power he could get. No one said changing history was going to be a walk in the park.

"Ignorance is an illusion," Cloud spoke softly. He received stares from the older SOLDIERs. The bread became very interesting. He helped himself to some of the salad and a sandwich.

"If you say so," Zack said. He glanced over to his fellow SOLDIERs. "So I was thinking—"

"Whatever it is, no," Angeal said, effectively interrupting whatever scheme Zack planned. He had been through enough of Zack's pranks and schemes to be able to put a foot down on it before the second class began.

"You haven't even heard it!" Zack whined in a loud volume.

"I know it's going to be a disaster waiting to happen," Angeal said, pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand. "I don't plan on bailing you out if you decide to go ahead and do whatever it is you have in mind."

"Listen to Angeal," Sephiroth backed up his fellow first class. "The last thing I need is more paperwork on my desk, and someone complaining to me about your behavior." So far, they managed, but Zack figured he shouldn't press his luck unless it was the last option available. Save it for the last resort.

"You two are no fun," Zack pouted, much to Cloud's amusement. It wasn't obvious, but the second class could see it in the subtle way he held himself and the shine in his eyes. Small things like these could easily go unnoticed. It took someone observant to recognize and pick up on these small cues. "I guess that's to be expected from old fogies."

Sephiroth glared at him while Angeal looked helpless.

"You do have grey hair. You gotta admit that!"

"Silver, it's silver hair, not grey," Sephiroth corrected him No matter how far he turned up the glare, Zack didn't seem phased by it. He just kept talking and talking, digging himself into a deeper hole. Maybe his grave.

"Silver, grey, it doesn't make a difference," Zack teased the first class SOLDIER. He expected to be fried to a crisp or frozen within the next few minutes. However, it came in the form of words.

It eased the tension filled room.

Border

"Are you sure about this?"

"For the millionth time, yes!" Zack sighed in exasperation. He wanted to bang his head on the nearest wall. This kid had zero self-esteem. It would take a long time building that up, but with exams around the corner, he didn't have such a luxury. They needed to focus on his skills. Then they would work on other things.

"I wanted to be sure," Cloud said in a rush. He fidgeted with the strap of his bag and looked everywhere except the second class he was walking beside. "It's just that… nothing good happens to me."

Zack wanted to put the small blond in a headlock and give him a huge noggie, but seeing as Cloud was completely shy and skittish, the last thing he wanted was to scare him away. It kind of reminded him of train a baby chocobo. He needed to be kind and more importantly patient. "That kind of thinking gets you nowhere. Sides everyone deserves a break now and. That includes you." He poked Cloud on the top of his head a few times and grinned when the cadet attempted to swat away his large hand.

"If you say so," the pessimistic Cloud said in disbelief. What would it take to get this kid to see the positive things in life? Maybe it took a good pounding to his thick skull. Oh wait, that was supposed to be on him.

Slinging an arm over Cloud's shoulder, Zack grinned like no tomorrow. "What goes down must come up."

Cloud stifled a chuckle. "You have it backwards. What goes up must come down." He didn't move away from the second class nor attempt to move the other's arm. Instead he sported a slight blush, which Zack didn't miss though he pretended not to notice.

"Oh? Well I reject your reality and replace it with my own," Zack said as he puffed out his chest. In a sense, he was rejecting this reality and replacing it with a much better one. One that didn't involve the assisted suicide of his mentor, Sephiroth going insane before committing mass murder, the two being used as guinea pigs for five years, and ultimately his death.

"I think someone should replace your brain."

"That's so harsh," Zack said in a dramatic voice and clutched his heart with both hands, pretending to be wounded.

"You make that idiot look like a genius."

Cloud placed both hands over his mouth in attempt to stifle his laughter. He looked innocent when Zack pouted and then shrugged his shoulders as if saying he didn't know the idiot.

Zack stared at the guy. He was definitely shorter than Cloud and by more than a bit. His hair was just as wild except white. Instead of a shy smile, he sported a scowl that rivaled Sephiroth's on a bad day. Now that he thought about it, The General seemed to have more bad days than good, but that was the one he knew. Not this one. Who knew how much the guy changed? It was a short time since he landed in the past.

A pair of pretty blue-green eyes observed him. No more like inspected him. As to what, Zack didn't have the slightest clue. However, he figured he was the twin of that doctor.

"If you wanted to stare, go find my other half," the guy said in a sarcastic tone, "he's more amicable than me." He shifted the stack of papers in his small hands.

"He's a lot friendlier too," Zack added the blatantly obvious. "Where are you headed?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Zack," Cloud said, poking him in his side and causing the second class to squirm. Damn, when did the blond discover his weak point? "I'm sure he has more important things than to entertain you. See you later, Toushiro?"

Toushiro opened his mouth to correct him though closed it. That happened by reflex especially with a certain idiot who tended to jump into things before thinking about the consequences of his actions. "Yeah. I'll see you later."

"Bye, Toushiro!"

"That's Hitsugaya to you!" With that, Toushiro stormed off, muttering something about him and a strawberry being related.

Huh? Zack swore he wasn't related to a fruit though he knew of a few nut case relatives. "You know something? If I didn't know any better, I'd have to say he's a mini-Seph. Just look at his scowl and his cold attitude." The two of them seemed to be made of ice.

"He'll kill you if he hears that," Cloud said as the two continued their journey to wherever Zack was dragging them.

"That little guy? He's harmless," the second class said in a dismissive tone and waved his hand to emphasize his point.

Cloud coughed before punching Zack in his arm. "Don't underestimate people shorter than yourself." It was followed by an adorable glare. That was what Zack found it to be. He never voiced that opinion. For someone who had yet to go through mako enhancements, the blond had one hell of a punch.

Zack rubbed his arm, pretending it hurt than it did. "So mean. My little chocobo is being mean to me. Where did I go wrong?" Cue the dramatics.

"You're such a ham," Cloud muttered under his breath even though a third class SOLDIER could hear.

"But I'm a hunky ham," Zack said, nudging the blond. "And you know you love me."

"Whatever."

Border

It took Zack a few days, no more like a few weeks to get Cloud to speak to him without stuttering or stammering an apology. The blond didn't do anything to earn his ire with the exception of being so apologetic and believing he was at fault for everything. Zack assured Cloud that not everything was his fault. There were other factors and people involved. It took two (or more in this case) to tango so why should Cloud be the only one responsible for everything?

What surprised him was how at ease Cloud was with Sephiroth of all people. Their conversations ranged from tactics to current affairs to embarrassing stories (namely ones about Zack). The first time he saw it, he swore he was dreaming. His version of Cloud tended to faint at the sight of Sephiroth, not have small chit chat. Not that he was jealous or anything, but it was nice to see two of his close friends opening up even if it was to each other.

Genesis came and went as he wasn't important enough to have around all the time or have someone to mentor. The red head didn't mind it as it gave him a chance to see what else was out there and to check out the various bookstores. No, he was most definitely not a nerd or bookworm. He appreciated the finer things in life.

Aerith was sweet as usual. She still tended her garden, and Zack helped her by fixing that cart. Every now and then he dropped by, but he kept it short due to his unofficial mission. So far, he gained the trust of Genesis, and he already had the trust of his mentor. Now how was he supposed to tell them about their conditions without letting them know he knew more than he should? Hm…

There were a few people in the SOLDIER training room. When Zack entered, they waved to him, and he returned it. He was friends with most SOLDIERs, but not all of them. There were the few who were jealous of his quick promotion. Then there was the fact Angeal Hewley was his mentor. Not to mention, he was good buddies with Genesis and on speaking terms with The General. It infuriated them as it came natural to Zack like breathing.

Cloud trailed behind him, trying to disappear into the ground. Oh so he was snappy one second and completely shy the next. It must be a teenage thing with all the hormones and whatnot. "Why are we here?"

"No duh, it's to train," Zack stated the obvious. He pulled off his bag and dumped it off to the side. Half the room was for sparring whet her it be with a weapon or hand to hand combat. A locked door led to a room where the practice weapons were stored. Weights, punching bags, and exercise machines took up the other half.

"But we have our own training room," Cloud said in reference to the dingy training room for the MP and cadets. Most of the equipment had seen better days and many were repaired with whatever they could get their hands on. It tended to be with industrial strength glue or duct tape. Overall it was in pathetic shape.

Zack placed his hand on his hip. "Sure you do… if you could call it a training room. More like a dump if you ask me." A few fellow second class SOLDIERs chuckled. "We're not going to be using subpar equipment. I mean my Granny with a broom is more dangerous than those training swords." The chuckle became a laughter.

"The porcupine is right. You're better off training here," Kunsel said and draped himself over his best friend. "Less chance of injury, and you'll get a better workout. Contrary to what others say, this guy knows what he's doing."

"HEY! Is this pick on Zack day?" the second class huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting. He was doing that a lot these days.

"Maybe," Kunsel said in a playful manner. He laughed when Zack tried to pry him off. "You're so fun to tease. You know that?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Zack muttered. Seconds later, he brightened up. "Oh hey, since you're here, mind giving me a hand in training this little chocobo? Aiyaaa! What was that for, Cloud?" He hopped on one foot. It seemed Kunsel saw what was about to happen and pried himself off of the spikey second class.

"Great going, Cloud," Kunsel said and held up his hand. "High five."

Cloud shyly returned it.

Zack muttered something about this being a conspiracy and all. He was then promptly ignored by the two, who as it turned out had more in common. When he came back, he thought about introducing the two, but apparently that was one of his many bad ideas. He hid his face behind his hand as the boy started relaxing around Kunsel, who then reminded them they needed to start warming up before their training session.

"This is going to be one long day."


	5. Stick It to 'em

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which people are stabbed with sharp pointy objects and drugs. Lots of drugs and snark. And fate decides to be nice to Genesis. For a change.

Disclaimer: Chibi doesn't own either Final Fantasy VII or Bleach.

Stick It To 'em

Pacing back and forth, Zack attempted to figure out what he was going to say to both Angeal and Genesis without them prying into his past… their possible future. He knew subtle was not in his dictionary though there were moments, but they tended to be unplanned and often caught him off guard. The two first class SOLDIERs were smart. They weren't the typical all brawn and no brains. For gods sake, he and Genesis debated over the meaning of the books they read.

Zack knew this day would come. He never thought it would be this soon. As soon as he heard about the accident from Kunsel, he arranged a date for the three of them to get together in Angeal's apartment. He knew Angeal to be calm and collected though he wasn't immune to going off. It just took a lot more than a certain someone. Genesis was predictable with his responses. Zack could plan ahead when it came to the red head. It was his mentor who proved to the more difficult of the two.

While the signs were not blatant, he knew Genesis was losing his strength. It wouldn't be long before the signs started appearing. By then, it was too late for Zack to intervene. He hoped he built up enough of a rapport with the red head for what he was about to do.

After taking a look at the clock, Zack plopped his rear onto the couch. The waiting killed him. He wanted this to be done and over with.

Angeal insisted on seeing his lover to the medical wing and being checked out by a doctor. He refused to take no as an answer and butted heads with Genesis until he said that he was worried. Hearing this, Genesis caved in as he didn't know what was happening to him, and it was his body. When it came to doctors, he flat out refused to be seen by Hojo and their usual doctor, Hollander.

Zack knew who Angeal planned on taking Genesis to. The person happened to be recommended by none other than the General himself, and that was saying something. From what he remembered, he found the guy to be pleasant, but he knew appearances could be deceiving. Just take Hojo for example.

The telltale sign of the lock sounded, heralding the arrival of his mentor along with his lover. Once they entered the room and locked the door behind them, the two shared a passionate kiss and would have shared more if it hadn't been for the timing of Zack clearing his throat.

"I'll pretend I didn't see that even if it was hot," Zack chuckled at the embarrassment of the two first classes. "What? You two knew I was here. Didn't you?"

"I forgot," Angeal replied honestly even if it was humiliating. Of course, the two shared an apartment. There was no doubt a possibility of Zack being there.

"You probably forgot I called a meeting," Zack said in casual manner. He leaned on top of the couch's back, the opposite way he was supposed to be facing. "Not that I blame you. I mean you two are probably—"

"ZACK!" Angeal yelped, interrupting his student. His expression told the second class he too forgot about it. He motioned for Genesis to follow him to the sword rack before placing his sword on it next to Zack's. There were other slots. Many wondered why he had so many, but they learned it was for their guests' swords.

Genesis merely shook his head and followed Angeal. He placed his sword in one of the smaller slots since his sword was not as massive as Angeal's but it was still an impressive site. "You're too much. Good job. I've trained you well." He received a swat to his shoulder.

"What did you want to discuss?" Angeal asked. He seemed to be curious about what Zack wanted to discuss. Usually it was the other way around.

"You two should sit down for this," Zack said with as much serious tone he could muster. He turned around to correctly sit on the couch. The cushions shifted as Angeal took a seat next to him with Genesis taking up the lazy boy chair.

The two first classes shared worried glances before giving Zack their undivided attention. They knew it had to be serious if it was Zack of all people who was telling them this. Angeal motioned for Zack to go on.

Zack fidgeted for what felt like an eternity. He opened his mouth to say something and shut it before he could say anything. While he knew what he wanted to say, the words refused to come to him. To think, many said it was close to impossible to get him to shut up.

Both Angeal and Genesis were patient with him, seeing as how hard it was for Zack to even speak to them about this. For this, the second class was grateful. The subject was most likely to be met with resistance, but he had their best interest in heart, which was more than certain doctors.

"I have these friends. They've studied the effects of mako in the human body." Confused looks from both Angeal and Genesis. "They've come across interesting results, and it's like what you're going through. It's what you'll eventually go through too." Zack looked over to his surprised mentor.

"What do you know?" Genesis hissed. Not that he blamed the guy. The red head probably kept his condition a secret. It had been almost two weeks since the incident.

"I know you're becoming weaker and that your injury hasn't healed at all," Zack all but blurted out. He noticed the two first classes becoming tense and Genesis subconsciously reaching for where he normally wore his sword. "The small signs gave you away, and the fact I can read you like a book."

Genesis muttered something about voyeurs though he did not refute any statements. He crossed his arms and sulked.

"Are these friends honorable and trustworthy?" Angeal inquired as he leaned on his hands with his elbows on his knees. It was one thing to trust Zack, but it was another to trust someone who knew Zack. With the second class' personality, it was hard not to know him.

Zack nodded his head. "Sorry, but they wished to remain anonymous." That would send up red flags to anyone who had a shred of common sense. He fiddled with his gloves. "Something about not wanting our superiors to know what they're doing. They don't want the Turks going after them." More like, they didn't want the Turks finding out their plans to change the past. As it stood, Zack was the only one who knew what laid in the future.

"Understandable," Genesis said after a moment. He attempted to relax, but the conversation unnerved him straight from the beginning. "So they know what's going on with me?"

Once again, Zack nodded his head. He felt like one of those bobbing head dolls he saw everywhere in cars. "They know the cause of it too. It's something about your cells or something rejecting the mako. Or maybe it's your body. I know two things in your body aren't doing well together. That's what's causing your condition."

Angeal seemed to be in deep thought while Genesis appeared to be processing all of it. This was all new to them. Plus it was Genesis going through it first. Zack wasn't certain when Angeal's turn would be, but it would eventually happen. The first time was hard enough. He didn't want to make it a second time.

"It's called degeneration," Zack supplied the answer to the unasked question.

"How did your friends acquire information about us?" Genesis prodded. It wasn't like ShinRa to keep secrets out in the open especially with their top three SOLDIERs. Not to mention, the fact they were able to perform tests without being noticed by Turks. The elite force knew everything and anything about everyone… that was what the small group led people to believe. Zack knew better. They didn't have all the information.

"Two words: inside informant," Zack said, holding up two fingers. "They didn't tell me who it was, but I have to trust them on their word." What an inside informant it was. This one wouldn't have a clue as to what his future self was planning on doing.

Angeal had the deer caught in the headlights look. Genesis' jaw dropped, and he stared at Zack as if he announce he came from a different planet. It was the same planet. Thank you very much. More like different time.

"So now you can see why I can't reveal anything," Zack said with a long sigh. He hadn't planned to be straight forward, but at the same time, he knew he had to dance carefully, lest he give them any hints to what was taking place. "He's already taking a risk by sending information to my friends. I wanted to save you so I pulled in favors from them."

It would have been a bunch of BS had he not done it in his future. Zack hoped they wouldn't call him on it, but technically it was the truth. Just a truth from a different timeline.

"They're working on a cure?" Genesis sounded hopeful. His eyes shined, and it wasn't just the mako. It was obvious he tried every method he could think of, and none of them worked. They wouldn't anyways since no one knew the cause of it for now.

It was then the two noticed a small but ordinary box on the table. Three numbers adorned one side of it, indicating it was a locked box. The box appeared innocent. Nothing out of the ordinary about it. It was what was on the inside that mattered.

Zack reached over and spun the dials to the correct number. He flipped the switch to open before pulling the cover up and revealing the contents. Several small vials, each one had a name on it. Half belonged to Angeal and the other half to Genesis.

"They aren't," Zack said and turned the box to give the two a better look at their medicine. "You're wondering how they did it so fast. Well they were in the middle of their studies when I asked for their help." That was true in the old timeline. In this one, they were about to start their research. Not that the two first classes needed to know right now.

"What are we supposed to do with these? Drink them?" Genesis asked as he picked up one, not exerting his full strength but enough so the vial didn't slip out of his grasp. He stared at the color. It seemed to be… toxic on first sight.

This time Zack shook his head. "No. You're not supposed to drink it. They're supposed to be given by injection." Good thing they asked before drinking it. He didn't know if they would have enough should the two drink one. When he went back here, he brought enough for them to be cured. Every vial counted.

"…." Was their response.

"Wait, you don't know how to use needles?" Zack blinked several times. He thought first classes would know in case of emergency.

"I hate needles," Genesis growled, shuddering at the thought of voluntarily injecting himself or the fact a sharp object would be penetrating his body. "Never did like them. You can ask Angeal. He knows."

Angeal shook his head. "The ones they give us are… they're preloaded and anyone can use them. I think we can ask Sephiroth. He gives himself injections." He hid his face behind his hands. This was becoming more and more complicated by the second. "How often are they supposed to be taken?"

"Once a day until you run out," Zack answered. Each SOLDIER had a week's worth of vials. "I wouldn't accept any missions until it's over." The two looked over at Genesis. Between the two of them, he was the most likely to be sent out.

Genesis threw his hands up in the air. "What? I'm not passing this up for a mission. I know where my priorities are." He needed to take care of himself. ShinRa definitely didn't have his best interest in heart. That was if they had one to begin with. "I'll claim injury." His personnel medical record would back up his claim.

"This stays between the four of us," Angeal said as he glanced between the other two occupants in the room. Too many secrets. That was the life of a SOLDIER even moreso when it came to Turks. They were an elusive but deadly, professional group.

"Agreed. So when do we start?" Genesis asked, wanting to get this done and over with. The sooner they started, the sooner they could finish.

Zack was taken back. He thought Angeal and Genesis would resist the idea of them degenerating. Not to mention, the cure practically fell on top of their laps. It was one of those too good to be true situations. Something was going on. Something they weren't telling him. Fair enough. He too held his fair share of secrets.

"We'll need to find someone to inject you with them," Zack replied. He hoped Sephiroth wouldn't mind at all.

As it turned out, Sephiroth had been sent out on a mission earlier that morning. He wasn't scheduled to be back for at least a week, but chances were slim of him coming back as planned. They were dealing with an unknown factor: the rebels. Shinra Senior wanted to make an example out of them so he sent his best weapon, The General, to deal with them. That would teach them not to mess with him.

So they needed an alternate solution. On their way back, they ran (more like run over) into a familiar face. They couldn't tell which one it was at first since they looked so much alike, but one of them actually smiled. The other one tended to smirk, which was as close to a smile as they seen him come to.

It didn't help he wasn't wearing his usual white jacket. Zack found the sight to be unnerving though he wasn't about to voice that. It would bring up more questions than he was ready to deal with. Up close, he saw the soft expression the short civilian wore. Yeup. It was Seishiro, the medical doctor.

"I didn't think I'd be seeing you so soon," the doctor said in reference to Genesis. So this was the doctor Angeal dragged his childhood friend to. He was one of the few who could be trusted to not add a little something on the side or to gossip.

"Neither did I," Genesis agreed. He eyed the short doctor. In spite of Sephiroth vouching for him, he still didn't trust any medical personnel, but he knew they were necessary for him. "We're in a bit of a hurry."

"Oh? Don't let me keep you," Seishiro said before stuffing his small hands in his pockets. He started shuffling away until Zack let out a strange noise.

The second class pounced on the poor guy though he remembered the differences in height and weight. Since he needed the doctor to give injections, the last thing he wanted was to crush him. That small body against his felt strange. He felt like he could snap the boy at any second.

"Nnngghhhhh!" came the muffled reply. He pushed Zack away from him or at least tried. "Effing SOLDIER strength. Is there something I can help you with?"

Angeal moved to pry Zack off, but the second class waved him off. He stood off to the side and watched the event unfold.

"You can do injections, right?"

Seishiro's expression mirrored that of his twin. "I think it's you who needs medical attention, not your friend. Yes, I do!" The light blush on his cheeks made him look adorable, reminding him of how many times Cloud blushed when embarrassed.

Genesis protested against this. "This isn't some little thing. I don't trust him."

"Fair enough," Seishiro replied, not offended by the remark. "I've seen many things, and it doesn't surprise me one bit." He squirmed within the second class' grip. "Do you mind?"

"Aww… you're nice and comfy," Zack whined, not moving a single muscle. He liked the feel of a smaller body in his embrace. It felt he was protecting the person against the big bad, scary things of the world. More like people. "Like a big teddy bear but cuter."

The blush became more prominent. "I swear you're related to that idiot. Don't bother asking. You wouldn't know him."

"Okkkaaaaayyyyyyy," Zack drawled out. He then released the small doctor and realized Seishiro must be off duty. Doctors wore their white coats when they were working. This one wore a dark blue button down shirt and black pants.

"You're weird," Seishiro stated the obvious. Genesis rolled his eyes, and Angeal pretended to ignore that remark. "So you want me to inject someone with an unknown substance?"

"…. Wow, you're smart, how did you know we wanted that?"

"Just a guess," Seishiro replied with a slight shrug. "And don't worry. No one's listening into our conversation. I checked."

This confused the three SOLDIERs, but none of them voiced their confusion. Instead they led the doctor to Angeal's place. Once they reached the apartment, Zack explained what they needed him to do without going into the specifics or how he managed to acquire the cures for the two. Good thing the small box came with everything they needed, thus, saving them a trip back to the medical wing and an explanation to the head doctor about missing needles.

"Feels strange," Genesis said as he was the first one. He wanted to go second, but Angeal refused, saying that the red head needed it more than he did. "I don't know how to describe it. Kinda like floating on air. Like I'm on a high or something."

For Angeal, it was the complete opposite. It made him feel quite dizzy, thus, requiring Zack to help him back to the couch.

"Same medicine, but two different reactions. Interesting," the small doctor said, rubbing his chin. He glanced between the two first classes. On the way there, they made him promise not to say anything about this. He agreed though he said he wanted to study the effects of this new drug. In exchange for keeping quiet, he would be allowed to observe them. Genesis didn't like the idea, but there wasn't much time left, and he certainly didn't trust any of the other doctors. Zack was in the same boat except when it came to this one. He knew looks could be deceiving, but he found it a hard time to see him as an enemy.

For the next hour, both Seishiro and Zack observed the two first classes. The side effects weren't good, but they weren't life threatening either so that would have to do. It was better than letting them degenerate even further or at least for Genesis' case.

"I should probably go," Seishiro said as he stood up. He planned on discreetly disposing the needles. No one would count how many needles were used especially since they disposed of them in safety containers. If it weren't for the health inspections, they would have used cheap waste receptacles. "Toushiro would become worried. He knows I tend to work late, but not this late." He moved to leave, but hearing Angeal, he stopped. A good doctor wouldn't leave their patients. Not when they were in a state like this. He ran his hand through his white hair.

Zack looked helpless as he tried to make his mentor feel comfortable. He placed pillows around Angeal and with the help of Genesis, they were able to move him to a comfy position. This was not what he expected to happen. Sure, he knew there was going to be some risk involved as the drug had yet to be tested, but at the same time, he couldn't risk losing his mentor again. Not when he had an opportunity to prevent it.

"Looks I drew the lucky straw," Genesis muttered darkly. Everyone knew Zack loved and adored his mentor. He wouldn't do anything to harm the burly first class if he could help it. Even with the best intentions, they had the potential of going awry.

"Looks like it," Angeal groaned. He felt sick, but at the same time, it wasn't as bad as receiving those boosters. Now those completely put him out. It would put many normal humans out.

"Hello, Toushiro. Yes. Yes, I'm fine. One of my patients isn't feeling well so I'm going to be doing overnight observation. No. There's no need to come on my account. Yes, I'll be okay. Sure. I'll do that. Okay. Bye." He hung up his PHS.

"I'll take the couch. You can take my bed," Zack said before the little guy could protest. It was the least he could do since the doctor wasn't required to do any of this in the first place. His stomach growled, sounding like a tiger. He looked at the time. "It's past dinner. No wonder why I'm hungry. I don't feel like cooking. Take out fine with everyone?"

No one complained or made any suggestions on where to order the take out.

Zack took it as his cue to pick which restaurant and what to order. That was until Angeal broke his little bubble by telling him to order something with vegetables in it. This caused Zack to pout to no ends, but he knew the first class was looking out for his well being. He also theorized Angeal having a sadistic side disguised by his need to take care of those people close to him. Death by vegetables. No more like torture by vegetables.

"You know what my preferences are," Genesis said from where he sat. Once Angeal settled down, he took up the chair he vacated to help his childhood friend. He and Zack shared enough meals for the younger SOLDIER to pick up on his preferences.

"I'm fine with anything except for avocadoes. Allergic to those." So no go on the avocadoes. Seishiro never mentioned how deadly it was for him, but Zack speculated that warning wasn't to be taken lightly.

With a lot of energy, Zack bounded into the kitchen where they had a land line. He flipped through their stash of take out menus. Every time he visited a place he liked, he picked up one of their menus, much to the exasperation of Angeal who insisted on home cooked meals even if they had to take time out of their day for preparation

Since it was he who gave the drugs, he selected a restaurant he knew Genesis loved and had a healthy selection of healthy meals. Hm? What to pick? He figured Angeal wouldn't want to eat anything, but he needed something. It would have to be porridge. He picked what he thought would be enough for them, guessing the little doctor didn't eat too much. If they couldn't finish it, they could always save the leftovers. It wasn't like they planned on going anywhere.

By the time the delivery boy made an appearance, Toushiro appeared on their doorstep. If looks could kill, the poor boy would have been frozen on sight. The delivery boy had made a huge mistake in thinking the white haired prodigy was younger than he appeared to be, thus, treating him like a child.

Zack managed to calm both parties down and paid the guy. He waved goodbye to the guy who fled the scene.

"I thought I said I'd be fine," Seishiro called out from somewhere behind him. It seemed this twin was overprotective of the other. Not that he blamed the guy.

Toushiro rolled his eyes. "I brought overnight toiletries and a change in clothes." He held up the bag with the items mentioned. "Are you going to stand there like an idiot or let me in?"

"Why is everyone calling me an idiot?" Zack muttered. If he didn't know any better, he swore someone changed his middle name to idiot. Sure, he wasn't the sharpest blade in the arsenal, but he wasn't that dull either. It took him some time to pick up on things.

"Because you are one," Genesis teased, earning him a glare. He grabbed the bags from an unsuspecting Zack. "I'll go set up the table."

"Have you eaten?" the second class asked. When the answer came as a no, he pulled the frosty secretary into the apartment. Just like his twin, Zack found him rather comfortable to hug. He didn't bother asking though in hindsight he should have.

"You have ten seconds to remove your hands before I freeze them," Toushiro warned in what sounded to be a low growl. The glare he sent to Zack rivaled that of Sephiroth's and Genesis' combined. Wow, the kid had a lot of practice doing that. Then again, he had The General as his immediate boss.

Seishiro laughed at the sight. "Toushiro doesn't like to be held. Come to think of it, he doesn't like most people touching him."

Toushiro grunted an answer, confirming what his twin said.

"I wouldn't take his warning lightly," Seishiro said. He claimed the bean bag in the corner. Without a doubt, it belonged to one Zack Fair. "He has a way with ice."

"If you want to hug someone, hug him," Toushiro said, jabbing his finger in the direction of his twin. "He's the more affectionate one."

"Oh?" Zack said and released the icy twin. It wasn't too long ago that he held that small body in his arms. Now that he thought of it, Seishiro told him to let go without threatening him. It seemed he was the more patient one between the two. Most likely it came with the territory of being a doctor who worked at ShinRa. Not to mention, he worked with both SOLDIERs and Turks. Reno said Turks had their own doctor, but he wasn't volunteering any information other than the doctor could be trusted.

"I'm not that affectionate," Seishiro said and rolled his eyes. From their brief contact, Zack concluded the little guy liked the warmth of human touch, but he refused to acknowledge it. It was something he had in common with his twin.

"Sure you, aren't," Toushiro said, getting in a banter with his twin. This would have continued if it hadn't been for the timing of the red head. Everything was set, and all they needed to do was take a seat.

Seishiro pulled his twin to the table. Good thing Zack decided to throw caution to the wind and ordered more. The two were so alike it was hard telling them apart unless Seishiro smiled. However, it seemed to be… there wasn't something right about it, but it was a mystery for another day.

Zack insisted on bringing out Angeal's dinner to him, stating that it had been his fault for putting his mentor in that condition. Plus he wanted to take care of the first class. After all, Angeal took care of him. It was about time it went the other way around. Zack taking care of Angeal.

At the table, Zack attempted to make small talk with the icy one, but it was on the same level as talking with a wall. Once again, he was reminded how much Toushiro and Sephiroth were alike. He found it hard to believe the two were not twins unlike Toushiro's true twin, who was the complete and total opposite of him. It seemed only Seishiro could get an answer from him though he humored Genesis by answering him a few times.

They discussed the local events. It seemed the twins had yet to experience a street fair. There was one scheduled in a few months. Zack suggested the two go, but Toushiro stated he needed to finish his paperwork. The piles never grew shorter, only taller. He attempted to persuade the icy twin and met with failure each time. It wasn't until Seishiro jumped in to help. He managed to convince his icy twin to relax every now and then.

Since Angeal had no intention of leaving the couch, their sleeping arrangements were changed. Zack slept in his room while the twins took Angeal's. It made sense since Zack doubted his bed was large enough for the two to sleep comfortably. Angeal's bed was much larger and could accommodate two full sized SOLDIERs. The two looked absolutely adorable in their matching pajamas. When he voiced his thoughts, they both called him an idiot.

This idiot thing had to stop.

Zack decided Puppy was a much better nickname than Idiot.


	6. Gone Insane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mission: Accepted. Location: Sewers. Enemy: The Stench... no rather something or some things that has been eating the workers. Will their sense of smell perish first or themselves? Only one way to find out!
> 
> Kudos to anyone who can point out a Bleach reference. Other than the obvious character.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay folks, this is where the cross-over begins. I will post Bleach explanations as they come up since I'm not sure how many people know both fandoms. It isn't critical to the story, but it helps to know what's going on.

Disclaimer: Chibi doesn't own either Final Fantasy VII or Bleach.

Gone Insane

The scent of coffee and breakfast being cooked drew Zack out of his sleep haze. He stretched out and almost walked out in his boxers when his mind started to function. They had two guests over… He didn't count Genesis as a guest since the guy practically lived there. Plus he knew the red head wasn't prude when it came to his body or seeing that of other males. It came with the territory of being a cadet and their communal showers.

Zack wasn't sure where Genesis slept, but the feisty first class told him he would take care of his sleeping arrangements. Not wanting to argue with the guy especially when they were tired, he slept in his own bed. As soon as he changed into his standard SOLDIER uniform, he made a mad dash for his mentor.

It wasn't like Angeal was in a life or death situation, but it was someone he cared about. Damned if someone prevented him from checking up on his mentor. However, it seemed someone else had the same idea. Seishiro finished looking over Angeal and began placing his equipment away. It had been brought over with his clothes. The little guy hadn't changed into his day clothes. Probably wanted to see his patients before attending to his attire.

Where was Genesis? Zack hoped it wasn't in the kitchen since the guy had bad luck when it came to cooking. The last thing he wanted was to explain why they needed their kitchen to be remodeled. He stood up to find the guy when the doctor caught his attention by waving his arm around. "Yes?"

"Your friend is taking a shower if you haven't noticed," Seishiro said in an even tone and not that he was talking about one of the legendary three SOLDIERs. While it didn't sound rude, it wasn't polite either. He must not be a morning person. "I've been checking on the two periodically." That meant his sleep was interrupted several times. No wonder why he seemed to be irritated.

Having Genesis, Angeal, and Seishiro accounted for, that left one person, Toushiro.

"He's cooking breakfast," Angeal answered. That drug took a lot out of him, but with enough sleep, he managed to recover. He frowned at the thought of their guest cooking for them and stood up to go help him or attempted to. For someone so small, he managed to push the first class back down.

"I'll go help," Seishiro offered. He turned to go help with the cooking, but a pair of strong arms stopped him. "I'm not a teddy bear." That blush was cute.

Without warning, Zack picked up the guy. He frowned as he tested Seishiro's weight. The guy weighed almost nothing. Then again, Zack did have the strength of a second class SOLDIER. He received a smack to his head for swinging the little guy a bit. "I guess I deserved that."

"Indeed."

Zack laid him on the bean bag and placed a small pillow underneath his head. He contemplated getting a blanket for the guy, but Seishiro was out cold within seconds. Shrugging he stood up before grabbing a spare blanket from the closet. He draped it over the small body, much to the amusement of his mentor.

"He needs to rest." Way to go Captain Obvious.

Angeal nodded his head. "That he does."

Upon entering the kitchen, Zack found Toushiro cooking what smelled like omelets. He thought about sneaking up on the little guy but decided against it seeing as he held a rather sharp knife. "Your assistant has arrived." He gave his signatory two fingered salute.

Toushiro took one look at him, a scowl on his face.

"Hey, I'm not that bad." Zack held up his hands in surrender. It was more on his lack of focus that tended to ruin meals and send the smoke alarm into overdrive. "And it's rude of us to let you cook. I figure helping is the polite thing to do. You know?"

That seemed to satisfy Toushiro. "You can start with the sausages."

Zack raised a brow as to how this secretary knew what they kept in their food pantry. He figured Toushiro must have poked his small nose into everything until he found what he was looking for or something he could make breakfast with. "Yes, Captain!" This earned him a very, very small smile. He saw the edges of those lips curl upwards.

Was it something he said?

Between the two of them, breakfast was made in no time. The five of them ate around the table. Angeal felt well enough to walk to the table on his own though he needed Genesis to help keep him steady. He didn't want to call in sick for the day, but Seishiro wouldn't hear of it and intended to write up a medical leave for a week. One look at the container was all it took for him to figure out how long.

Once they finished breakfast, Zack cleared the table and washed the dishes. All without being asked. It surprised the hell out of Angeal, who thought he started hearing things, but Genesis confirmed it. In the time he took to take care of the dishes, the twins changed and took off. He pouted as they didn't say goodbye to him, but he knew one of them had to be back later that day. Someone needed to give the two their daily injections. Hopefully this time around, Angeal wouldn't have an adverse reaction to it. Genesis left shortly after though he bid farewell to Zack before taking his leave.

Things seemed to be going well. Angeal felt back to normal around lunch time and his appetite showed. He barely ate anything for breakfast, and the previous night wasn't enough to fill him, but he didn't feel like eating anything. Good thing they had plenty of leftovers from last night. Zack spent the time taking care of a few things and lost track of time until he heard a stomach growling or rather stomachs. Angeal's joined in the singing.

"I'm not looking forward to the last six," Angeal groaned at the thought of needing six more of them. One was bad enough.

"It's for your own good," Zack said as the two lounged around on the sofa. He called Angeal's secretary to tell her his mentor planned on taking a leave of absence due to health issues. She sounded surprised as Angeal rarely took any days off. Most of them involved Zack in some form or another. "Sides you have someone cute doing the poking." He winked.

"Trust you to think of that," Angeal said. While he sounded irritated, Zack heard the hidden message. His mentor was amused by his comments. He swatted the second class on his shoulder, not enough to bruise but enough to get his point across.

Zack giggled. Yes, giggled. Why waste his precious moments being a teenager? Running his hand through his unruly hair, he sighed a long one. Unlike his mentor, he was supposed to report for duty. Now that he thought about it, he wasn't really sure who to report to since the top three were out… two were out of commission while the third was just out of the city.

Sephiroth oversaw first class. That was a given. Angeal oversaw second class. With the way he nurtured hidden talents, it was no wonder why the administration placed him there. Lazard would be stupid to think he wasn't suited for the position. There was an odd placement for third class. One would think a mature and level headed first class was in charge of the group. It turned out to be none other than one Genesis Rhapsodos. Everyone was surprised when he accepted the position as the previous holder retired not too long ago, stating that he wanted to enjoy his family (and limbs) while he had the chance. That left Micah Tailor, who was in charge of overseeing the cadets and MP. His cousin was insane though good at uncovering information. Many wondered why he hadn't become a Turk in the first place if he was that damn good at it.

First take care of their stomachs and then figure out who to report to. Zack slid off the couch with Angeal not far behind him. He made his way to the fridge when he paused and almost caused Angeal to run into him. Something felt strange. It sent a shiver up his spine, but he didn't know what. He was tempted to summon his sword, something he hadn't done for some time as he had no need to use it or to gain the attention of certain people.

"Is there anything wrong?" Concerned laced Angeal's voice. He placed a hand on his student's shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze.

"I dunno. It's this weird feeling. You know? I feel like something bad is about to happen, but I don't know!" Zack wanted to scream in frustration. Ever since that incident, he learned to trust his instincts. A good nine out of ten times they were on the dot. The hand left his shoulder.

"Let's eat first and then we'll figure out what it is," Angeal suggested. It sounded strange for the first class to suggest eating with the second class wanting to figure out what was wrong. There was a first for everything.

As it turned out, Zack was supposed to report to Lazard directly until they appointed someone to take over for the duration of their absence. He found himself facing the blond, who was seated behind his desk. Not that it would stop him should any SOLDIER decide to take care of him. Zack guessed it was what they call a sense of safety even if there was no safety involved.

Zack stood there while Lazard shuffled through his files. He felt an urge to start doing his squats. However, he knew better than to do it in front of a high ranking officer or whatever. He wasn't sure how the guy landed the position except that he was good at it.

Lazard muttered something about his top three SOLDIERs not being available. With the three of them, one would think at least someone was available at all times, but no, they just had to be unavailable. Sighing he looked up, remembering someone was there with him. "I apologize. It's been hectic ever since your mentor and Genesis took the week off. Sephiroth isn't due to return for the same period." Then there were the exams to consider.

"So what are my duties?" Zack asked, hoping it would be his usual patrol. That left him with enough time to pester one adorable chocobo.

Lacing his fingers together, Lazard leaned on his desk. "We received reports on increased monster activity in the sewers this morning. It seems three of the workers never made it back last night, and no one discovered them missing until this morning." It meant the next shift found the missing three's corpses. Lovely. "Pick a team of no more than four. Your mission is to take care of those monsters. A couple of Turks are nearby should you require assistance."

Zack blinked a few times. He thought monster extermination was left to SOLDIER. "Wait a minute, why would there be Turks?" He paused and answered his own question. "I take it they're to figure out why there's an increase in monster activity."

"Yes. I have informed them I will be sending a group of five SOLDIERs, and they know you won't be interfering with their job." Lazard paused to give him a stern look. "However, they are free to request backup. In that case, you're to drop what you're doing and assist them."

"Sounds reasonable," Zack said, trying not to sound more enthusiastic than he really was. They trusted him to decide who to pick and lead the team into the sewers. While it wasn't a glamorous mission, it meant a lot to this second class. They recognized his skills as a leader. "When do I depart?"

"As soon as you confirm who you plan to bring with me," Lazard answered, not missing a beat. He motioned to the second class, dismissing him.

Zack managed to walk, not skip or bounce, out of Lazard's office. He couldn't wait to tell Angeal about his mission, but then again, the overprotective first class might insist on joining them even though he was supposed to be recovering. Telling him would have to wait until he finished his mission.

His mind went through the different people he could call on. Zack knew he wanted Kunsel on his team. His fellow second class was someone he trusted to cover his back. That left three more people. He thought about Cloud, but the blond was a cadet, someone not suited for that kind of fighting yet. It meant he needed to pick someone else.

From third class, there was Arkane, aka Kane, Suril. The guy didn't stand out, but he did his work efficiently with little error and not many injuries or casualties. He was on the verge of being promoted to second class. Zack worked with the guy a few times, and while he tended to be serious, he was also friendly and easy to talk to.

Next he planned on taking Lucas Bluestar. He too was from third class. The way he moved made Zack wonder if he was human. It was so graceful and light. Many times this third class caught him off guard, and it wasn't easy catching any SOLDIER, especially a high ranking one, by surprise. He was proficient with a sword, but deadly with bows and arrows. Like Arkane, he took things too seriously though he knew when to relax.

Last of his group was Tatsuya Tenshin. He was a complete mystery to Zack. For all his smiles and jokes, he knew there was more to this guy. He hid his true self well, rarely letting anyone see the real him. However, Zack knew him to be loyal and hard working. He too was on the fast track to becoming a second class.

All three of them were.

Once he received the go from Lazard, he began informing the others. He started with Kunsel as he knew the guy's schedule. Kunsel ran on a routine, which Zack found to be rather boring. It worked for the guy. As it turned out, Kunsel finished writing his report and handed it to Lazard, who informed him of his mission. Thus, it saved Zack the trouble of contacting him. Kunsel contacted him.

Out of the three third classes, Lucas was the easiest to find. He finished meditating when Zack barged into the quiet room, earning him a glare. Sheesh, what was it with all the people glaring at him? Nonetheless Lucas accepted the mission. He also knew where to find Arkane, who happened to be his roommate. The guy was helping out with training the future SOLDIERs, the cadets. It was in the hand to hand combat lesson. Zack hated to pull the guy out, but he wasn't sure who else to pick. The ones he wanted to pick were busy, injured, or hated his guts.

As it happened, Cloud was in that class. He attempted to hide behind a fellow cadet when he saw Zack entering the room. Too late! Zack already saw his little chocobo though he pretended not to at first. He discussed a few things with the teacher, who sighed at the loss of a good helper, but he knew better than to keep a third class from his mission. Once he secured Arkane, he pounced on the poor blond, snuggling against him. This felt so right to the second class. The blush Cloud sported made him look downright adorable.

When he left, he overheard a few cadets teasing Cloud. If they hadn't been in a friendly way, he would have turned around and given them a piece of his mind. He did have a working brain, contrary to what most perceived of him. Seconds after that, he heard other voices. They mocked Cloud, and it didn't take a genius to figure out they were jealous of the blond. He stopped in his tracks, causing Arkane to become curious.

His presence wasn't necessary as the teacher got the unruly cadets under control. Zack was grateful for teachers like that guy. During his short stint as a cadet, he found himself in a similar predicament as Cloud, minus the understanding teachers. While most of his peers were on good terms with him, there were the few rotten apples in the bunch. Before anything serious could happen, Angeal plucked him out, stating Zack had a huge potential to become a great first class SOLDIER if only he could learn how to focus.

Whatever Arkane was thinking, he didn't voice it for which Zack was thankful. With both Lucas and Arkane off to prepare for this mission, it left him to find the last person in their little party. He racked his brain, trying to think of where the guy was. Calling him was useless. It went to voice mail. Overhead paging was the last resort.

As it turned out, the guy was in the room just before Sephiroth's office. He was in the middle of helping Toushiro go through the reports. In an unfortunate series of events, they were forced to turn in paper copies due to technical difficulties. This made organizing and shipping them off to the proper recipients a longer task than it should be.

Good thing the small boy happened to be a freaking genius. This shaved off a considerable amount of time and made Zack wonder how he understood the operations of a military, considering he was a civilian. He just shrugged it off as one of those strange things in life. Maybe the guy happened to be a military fanatic. It happened though it was rare these days.

When he saw that small body puttering around the office, Zack couldn't help himself. In spite of the threat to freeze his hands, he glomped the poor guy and held that small body close. It felt kind of cold though he thought nothing of it. Same went for that glare Toushiro shot at him. He swore he heard a growl, but his mind could be playing tricks on him.

Tatsuya shook his head, suppressing the laughter that threatened to break free. The sight of one frosty secretary being man handled was something else. Toushiro's childish appearance didn't help. It made his glaring cute instead of intimidating for SOLDIERs and Turks alike.

"I'm warning you."

The warning was ignored. After a moment, Zack placed the icy guy back on his feet. He ruffled the unruly white hair before Toushiro could escape. Seeing that scowl, he chuckled. It was one more reason why he thought the two were related. Maybe Sephiroth was their long lost brother or something like that.

Toushiro skittered off to the side and stayed there until Zack left the room. He learned the hard way, one Zack Fair loved hugging cute things… or people. So far, the list consisted of three people, who he thought were too cute for their own good.

"I wouldn't get on his bad side if I were you," Tatsuya said on their way to the SOLDIER quarters. "He can be quite creative when getting even. Just saying." He shrugged. "His twin is worse."

"Oh that nice guy?" Zack tilted his head, wondering how someone so friendly could be that vindictive.

"He has a sadistic streak," Tatsuya said in a low voice. He glanced around, checking if anyone was around to overhear them. "If he doesn't like someone, he… he lets it be known when he's tending to them. I was there when it happened."

This piqued Zack's curiosity. He leaned closer to the third class.

"The guy may be little, but he knows his stuff. He says he made an oath to fix people, not be gentle with them."

Zack winced at the thought of unnecessary pain. Like other SOLDIERs he could withstand the pain, but that didn't mean they liked it. He made a mental note not to go too far with either of them. Sure, they wouldn't kill him, just humiliate him and cause him pain. No thank you!

"Yeah," Tatsuya said on the nervous side. "Never heard a second class SOLDIER scream like a girl and high too." Oh boy.

Within an hour, Zack and his assembled team were geared up and waiting for their transport to arrive. Walking would have taken them a good three hours, and running was out of the question. They needed to conserve their energy for fighting the monsters, not going to them.

It turned out to be Rude and Reno who were doing the investigation as well as giving the SOLDIERs a ride. Reno held a one sided conversation with his partner while the SOLDIERs sat in silence. The four gave Zack strange looks when they realized he wasn't being his chatty self. It worried them their team leader wasn't feeling well. Zack held up his hands, saying that he needed to figure out a strategy against these monster. This caused them to worry even more. Zack tended to rush into things without thinking about the consequences or planning ahead.

The drive was short, cutting off any conversation between the SOLDIERs. Zack took the lead with Lucas bringing up the rear. He wanted someone who was good at long distance fighting to bring up the rear in case they needed to retreat. Kunsel was right behind him with Arkane and Tatsuya respectively following him.

"Yo. Take care down there. I dun wanna haul your sorry asses out of there," Reno teased the strong guys. It seemed things never changed, and one of them happened to be a certain red head. Not that Zack didn't mind.

"As if you're strong enough," Zack returned the teasing, a sparkle in his eyes, "to haul any one of us out."

Reno laughed. "Who said I'd be doing the hauling? Eh?" He received a not so light smack upside his head from his partner. "What did I do?"

The bald headed Turk turned and headed to the entrance of the sewers, ignoring the whining coming from his partner. One had to wonder whether or not Reno was a Turk, considering the way he behaved. Then again, the same could be said about Zack. They were good at what they do in spite of their appearances.

While they had been waiting, Zack briefed them on the mission given to him by Lazard. He received a file from the blond electronically as to not occupy more time than necessary. With the amount of books Zack, reading a report wasn't too hard. It was more on the boring side. He managed to read everything so he could brief his team.

The Turks were the first to enter the sewer. Said something about wanting to finish this fast. No one blamed the two. It stunk like high hell down there. It was a miracle no one died from the stench alone.

Once down the ladder, Zack wrinkled his nose. This was worse than he originally thought it to be. His teammates fared better as they didn't have as much mako in their system as he did. He wished he thought of bringing gas masks down there, but those equipment hindered their ability to see and made fighting harder.

"I think my sense of smell died," Tatsuya commented. It was hard making out what he said since the guy pinched his nose in attempt to not smell the foul odor.

"Something died," Arkane spoke up. "Scratch that. Some things died."

Sloshing through the infested waters was not a pretty sight, but someone had to do it. Since they couldn't see what they were stepping on, they needed to proceed with caution. One false step meant the difference between life and death. Good thing the water level was low. None of the SOLDIERs wanted to swim in this dirty water.

Debris floated past them. Some were random items that made their way down there, things that were tossed aside and many found useless. Trash. Broken pieces of wood sailed past them, showing signs of their brutal demise. Some sported splotches of dark red. Anyone with half a brain could figure out the stains were blood. From the looks of it and Zack dared to touch one, they were fresh. It had to be during the attack on any of the three sewer workers.

Since they were in a sewer, it was no surprise to find half eaten or mostly eaten carcasses of rodents. They were harder to locate, but when they floated to the SOLDIERs, bumping into them, it was hard not to notice. If he had a choice, Zack would have preferred the rodent carcasses to that of human body parts. A pair of severed hands made their way past the surprised SOLDIERs. Soon it was followed by a heart and what appeared to be a brain. Just their day.

Wonderful.

For the next hour, the five SOLDIERs (two second classes and three third classes) sloshed through the murky waters. Their swords ready to slice any monster in two. However, nothing happened. It was as if the monsters cleared out, fearing the SOLDIERs' arrival. Zack knew it was less likely but more on the monsters found something else to occupy their time, thus, leaving his party alone for the time being.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Kunsel said to no one in particular.

"You're not the only one," Zack said as turned his sword in different direction, where he thought an attack would come. By this time, they all drew their swords. Due to their finances, all of them possessed the standard SOLDIER broadsword with the exception of Lucas. He also had bows and arrows which he shot with deadly accuracy.

"I'm beginning to think the reports are… off," Tatsuya spoke up. He swatted the carcass of a dead possum away from him. It didn't help the level of the water (sludge) started to rise. "Did the report say a location?"

"If it did, we would have gone there first," Zack said with a long suffering sigh. He wanted this to be done and over with. The glory of leading a team on his own disappeared some time ago. "When this is over, I'm taking a nice long bath. No interruptions."

"You're not the only one," Arkane muttered under his breath. With the quietness of the tunnel and their sensitive hearing, it was hard to miss even the softest sound. If anything ambushed them, they would hear it and be able to defend themselves. So Zack hoped.

"I think I lost my sense of smell," Tatsuya said and wrinkled his nose. "More like it died on me."

"This is one for the books," Kunsel snorted. He shifted his grip on his sword. "Oh you were on a mission? What monster did you fight? We fought the stench of the sewers. You know how dangerous it can be to the olfactory. It killed all of ours." This earned several chuckles.

"To think, we traipsed all over the sewers with nothing to show except for stinky clothes," Lucas said in a soft voice.

"We're on a wild turkey chase," Tatsuya commented.

"Don't you mean turkeys?" Zack quipped, amusing his subordinates.

"I doubt the Turks would appreciate being called Turkeys," Lucas said though there was no sarcasm or threat behind that voice.

"Everyone knows about it," Zack dismissed. He paused and tilted his head to hear something. "I don't think any of you are having a hard time breathing."

"No," came the automatic response.

A soft growl bounced throughout the tunnel or make that growls. Even for someone with sensitive hearing, it was hard locating the source of that sound. There were too many rebounds to be able to calculate in a short amount of time.

Not far ahead of them, something splashed into the water. It was followed by at least a dozen more. In seconds, the red eyes of the creatures appeared.

"Up ahead," Zack said before swearing. He was about to issue orders when Lucas alerted him to more behind them. "Just peachy. We're boxed in by who knows how many. Stay on guard. We don't know if these things are poisonous."

"Or what they're capable of," Kunsel added.

Zack and Kunsel took the ones in the front while Arkane and Tatsuya fought the monsters from the rear. Lucas stood in between them, readying his bow. In his position, he could fire at either sides. It was a matter of how long his ammunition would last. He brought one quiver and a bundle with him, but they knew he would exhaust his supply before they finished fighting.

"Ready or not, here they come!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OC Guide (Don't worry. They will play a part in the story, but only as needed, which most likely isn't often.)
> 
> Arkane (Kane) Suril: third class about to be promoted, serious, efficient, friendly, dependable, big brother type, goes more on instinct than strategies though can sometimes make plans, unorthodox methods
> 
> Lucas Bluestar: third class, graceful, light footed, good with bows and arrows, serious but knows when to relax, formalities, analytical, more heightened senses than the average third class, tactful, dry humor
> 
> Tatsuya Tenshin: third class, reserved, mysterious, hard working, loyal, calculating, analytical, tactical, able to make changes on the fly, sarcastic sense of humor, isn't afraid to state what's on his mind, unorthodox methods


	7. Be Back Soon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zack and company finally encounter those monsters. Nothing is what it seems. Oh. A certain person makes his first appearance under an alias.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T-T I'm horrible at writing fight scenes, but I hope this will suffice.

Disclaimer: Chibi doesn't own either Final Fantasy VII or Bleach.

Be Back Soon

The first one emerged from the shadows, its red eyes locked on its target. It wanted their blood. Its razor sharp fangs looked capable of shredding standard armor, and the largest one was the length of their forearm. No doubt many lives ended in those fangs. Thanks to the water, they couldn't tell if it had claws, but judging by the looks of it, they held no doubt it had some of the sharpest claws, ready to shred flesh and bone apart. Sharp and hard scales covered its body. Fighting bare handed amounted to suicide. The sheer size of it made it a formidable foe, something that shouldn't be taken lightly. The body was shaped much like a horse except this equine happened to be carnivorous. A long reptilian tail whipped back and forth. For its head, it was the shape of a dragon.

There were no indication of poison, but they couldn't afford to take a risk. They knew to treat the creature as if it could spray them with poison or hit them with poison projectiles at any second. Zack hoped it didn't have any more surprises or more friends than the ones they heard.

The creatures stalked their prey. They were not in a rush to kill as they knew they had their prey surrounded with nowhere to go. Plus there were smaller in number and smaller too. It seemed like the parade of these creatures, no monster, would never stop.

Up at the front, a large creature growled, giving orders and shoving around those who didn't comply with its demands. According to its actions, the SOLDIERs knew it to be the leader of this group. If they wanted to make it out alive, they needed to cut off the head. They needed to target their leader.

Easier said than done. Creatures rushed from either side of the leader. Their jaws wide open and ready to tear into soft flesh. The first two managed to make it to striking distance but were taken down by two long arrows. The creatures following hesitated as they saw what happened to their pack mates. They eyed the SOLDIERs rarely before executing a simultaneous attack.

Zack sidestepped the creature he faced. Using his momentum, he slammed his sword into the side of the creature, hoping to slice open its guts. It bounced right back and the creature hit the wall with a sickening thud. He swore seeing as he caused little damage to the creature.

The down creature stood up within seconds of it landing in the water. A direct approach was not going to work at all. Damn! Zack raised his sword, ready to meet the oncoming creature when another one came from him at another side. He crouched down, allowing the creature to fly overhead. With one strong thrust, he shoved the tip of his blade into the belly of the creature. It howled in pain as steel tore through its guts and came crashing down, missing Lucas by centimeters.

"Aim for their underside!" Zack screamed to his men. "It's their weak point." He pivoted on one foot to meet the first creature he fought. For something its size, it was quick.

It lashed out at Zack's head and missed when the second class sidestepped its claws. Eyes only on Zack, it charged once more.

Zack, quick on his feet, jumped aside before kicking it on its side and sending it flying again. Once it landed in a heap, he leapt over and plunged his sword in where he thought its heart was located. He pulled out his word just as the creature spasmed. Two creatures down and a lot more to go.

Seeing one rush Kunsel from behind, Zack moved to intercept the creature and knocked into Kunsel's backside. He muttered an apology while raising his sword and aiming for its neck. The creature landed on his sharp blade, impaling itself. Zack used his boot to push the creature off his sword.

"Thanks," Kunsel wheezed out.

"No problem," Zack replied and the two went back to work.

With Lucas in the middle, he picked off any creature that came too close to their fight and would have made it an unfair fight. He had yet to draw his blade as he still had more arrows. It was a matter of time before he completely ran out and something he wasn't looking forward to.

Not far from him, Arkane and Tatsuya made a great team with the way they fought. Just from first looks, anyone could tell they worked together many times. They didn't have to signal to each other. It was as if they could read each other's minds and anticipate the other's next move. Between the two of them, they managed to down seven creatures. Zack and Kunsel had six. Lucas lost count of how many he killed.

No matter how many they killed, more took its place. The corpses started piling up, making it harder and harder for the SOLDIERs to fight. They fought their best in wide open areas. Cramped places like the sewers gave them a disadvantage, considering they carried large and heavy weapons.

A creature used its deceased comrade as a spring board and attempted to land on any SOLDIER, claws first. It found itself meeting with two blades before dying a painful death.

One by one these creatures fell to their blades, but their leader had yet to join the party. It stood there, observing its pack being slaughtered by enhanced humans. Red eyes stared at the carnage. Every now and then something caught its attention and it looked away. It didn't capture the leader's attention for more than a few seconds.

With a running start, a creature threw itself at Zack, pushing him back to the center of their defense. It reached out with its claws in attempt to shred soft flesh and cut through bone. A sword was all that stood between it and its prey.

Zack braced himself as best as he could. He used his muscle and weight to unbalance the creature. When it flailed and attempted to regain its footing, Zack slashed at its unprotected underside and then stabbed it in its spine.

Just as Zack thought they would get a break, he heard the sounds of human yelling. No one would be sane enough to go down there with the creatures loose. He never did claim to be sane. The Turks were certainly far from it. They lived and breathed danger.

"Holy shit, that's Reno," Kunsel informed the group, having recognized the owner of the voice. Between the two Turks, it was more likely for Reno to yell for help than Rude unless it was the last resort.

"We'd better go save their asses," Zack muttered and pulled his sword from another dead creature. How many did he kill at this point? He lost track. Their black blood turned the sewer water into something akin to tar.

"But who's going to save ours?" Kunsel retorted. He grunted as sharp claws pierced his skin and dragged it across his body. The wound was shallow, but they were poisonous, then one single scratch meant the difference between life and death.

"Us," Arkane answered. "We have to save ourselves."

By now, every single one of them was covered with the creatures' blood and their own blood. Their blood mingled together to create a thick substance that began to clump up on their uniforms. The fight was determined by brute force, and with the odds stacked against them, the SOLDIERs found themselves in a losing battle.

"Call for backup," Zack ordered. He focused on the leader and stepped towards it but was intercepted by a couple more of those creatures.

"No reception," Lucas called out and swore. He strapped his communicator back before lifting up his weapon and firing it, hitting the creature in its throat. It went down with a loud splash. "It's time like this that make me wonder why I became a SOLDIER."

The same thing ran through the other SOLDIERs' heads. When they died, they wanted to go out in a blaze of glory, taking as many enemies with them as they could. Dying in the sewers at the creature's claws was the least desirable way to go. Zack would even have to agree with Genesis on that one.

Zack mentally went over their odds of winning. It was a slim chance, but it was better than no chance. While he wasn't known for his tactical skills, he could come up with a plan every now and then. His eyes scanned his surroundings, taking in the state of his team and the location of the enemies. Many corpses were flung to the side due to the intense fighting, but there were a few in the middle of the tunnel.

Did they stumble onto a nest of them?

Everywhere they turned, one of those lizard horse things appeared. When they killed a creature, two more took its place. Not far behind the two, they piled on top of each other in attempt to reach the SOLDIERs.

Then came Reno's blood curdling scream.

'Oh shit,' went through their mind.

"Okay, change of plans!" Zack announced. He body slammed the creature, his sword in between them. Thus, saving him from being speared by the numerous spikes on the scales. "Lucas, create an opening down the middle. Kunsel, wait until I give the signal. We'll charge down. Don't bother killing them. Arkane and Tatsuya, once you see us go, wait ten seconds and then go. Lucas, I leave it to your discretion on when you leave, but make sure it's after we do." He received confirmations from the four.

With their instructions given, Lucas changed his target to the center. He sent arrow after arrow, aiming for the vulnerable parts of the creature, namely the eyes, mouth, and throat. They were much larger than the joints. Once half a dozen fell to the arrow barrage, Zack gave the signal for the two to charge.

Kunsel took off the moment he saw the signal. The two of them raced to where the archer cleared a path. Kunsel took the left side while Zack took the right. The two shoved their way, plowing over any creature who dared stand in their way. Their swords managed to withstand the force the two exerted though they were straining. Not far behind them, the other two came barreling through with Lucas a few steps behind.

The five SOLDIERs made good progress until the leader made an appearance. While the others were the same height as the SOLDIERs, the leader towered over them. It was one head taller than them, and that was saying something, considering the shortest SOLDIER stood at 183 centimeters high. The creature was at least 200 centimeters. It was pure muscle, and that muscle was about to introduce themselves to the five.

It seemed the leader knew who was in charge of the SOLDIER unit. Unlike the others, this one was smarter, smart enough to be leader and stay leader. It sent signals to its minions before focusing its eyes on one Zack Fair. The other creatures backed off from the spikey haired second class and turned their attention to the other SOLDIERs.

So it was a showdown of the leaders. That was fine with Zack. He raised his sword to a defensive position before adjusting his stance to where his center of gravity was in the middle. Fighting one enemy was better than fighting multiple. He fingered the materia slotted in his sword. Since he knew he was fighting in the sewer, he picked the ones he thought was more suited to this environment.

The leader crouched down low, growling and showing off its razor sharp teeth, in attempt to intimidate him. When it failed, it came closer and closer to the second class. It looked like all bark (or growl) and no bite. As soon as it was within striking distance, it lunged at Zack, snapping its fangs at him. It aimed for Zack's neck.

Anticipating the creature to aim for a vital point, Zack's reflexes caught the creature by surprise. His blade smashed against the side of the leader and sent it stumbling to the side. With the leader disoriented, Zack took this opportunity to thrust his blade at the jaw. He met air as the creature dodged his attack.

It snapped at him, forcing Zack back. Once the second class took a couple steps back, the creature reared up, showing off the extremely sharp claws it possessed. It came down on Zack, splashing the area where he stood. It leaned forward and closed its jaw on Zack's arm.

Zack bit down a yell as he felt the sharp fangs pierce his skin. He supposed it was good the creature clamped its fangs down on his non-dominant arm. Adjusting the grip on his sword, he plunged the blade into the creature's left eye. When the creature released its death grip on his arm, he pulled it back and inspected the damage. His arm could be salvaged. He cast curaga on it while the leader howled in pain. It wouldn't last long.

The creature saw red in many ways. Its eye was no longer useful, thus, making it hard to perceive its enemy. It shook its head in attempt to dislodge the sword from its left eye. No matter how hard it tried, the blade would not slip out. Realizing that it was a futile attempt, the leader focused its remaining eye on the second class.

"Dammit. Dammit. Dammit." Zack added some more colorful words. He lost his sword along with his attack material, but he still had his curaga with him. Now he only had his fists. He took a defensive stance.

Seeing its enemy without a weapon, it charged recklessly. It completely missed Zack though it was on a direct path to Kunsel. Not that it cared who it took down. An enemy was an enemy. That was what the second class thought.

Eyes wide open, Zack went into motion, not thinking about anything other than saving his best friend. He summoned his sword before taking a running jump. Blade first, his weight and the running start added the necessary force to plunge the blade through its scaly hide and snapped the creature's spine in two, killing it instantly.

Kunsel whirled around to find the large creature falling down at his feet. He turned his attention to their leader. It was a sight to see. He didn't have time to do anything other than gape before a creature broke the spell.

The second class pulled out his sword and awkwardly jumped down. It took him a moment before he realized what he had done. None of the others saw him with that large broadsword. Its size rivaled that of Angeal's Buster. He would have some explaining to do, but that was for another time if they survived this mission. Without a second thought, he sent back the sword before circling the deceased leader. He used a tight grip on his sword and gave it a good yank. When that didn't work, he added his weight to the pull.

As he concentrated on freeing his sword, Zack missed the creature sneaking up behind him. However, he heard a loud shot and turned to find the creature down. He blinked several times. None of them possessed a gun. The closest weapon they had was a bow. Mako eyes scanned the area for the gunner. It seemed his teammates were just as clueless as him, and their enemies were killed with what appeared to be one shot.

"What just happened?" Kunsel asked with disbelief.

"I don't know," Lucas said as he searched for any signs of life other than his teammates. "You think the Turks did it?" The Turks were known to carry guns and had good aim.

"Can't be. Reno wouldn't pass up an opportunity to rub it in our face," Zack muttered. He turned around, a pair of crimson eyes greeting him. Out of pure reflex, he brought up his sword only for one clawed hand to catch it. The cloak made it hard to see the guy's features other than his crimson eyes. "The hell!? You scared me half to death! Dammit."

The mysterious guy stared at him. "I apologize. It was not my intention."

Once Zack's beating heart resumed its natural speed, he checked the guy out. It had to be a guy, considering the flat chest and the low tone of the voice. "Accepted. What are you doing here anyways? It's too dangerous."

"…"

"Zack, I don't the guy is blind," Kunsel called out from behind him. "Or deaf."

Oh right, Captain Obvious. "Ehehehehe."

"Attending to business," the mysterious guy replied. He still held his gun. "If you do not wish to be overrun by these… creatures, I highly recommend leaving. Now."

Before Zack could reply with a retort, the sounds of water sloshing became louder. He motioned for his team to follow him. When he turned his back to the stranger, he found the caped guy leaving. He didn't hesitate to follow. Perhaps this guy knew a way out of here that didn't involve so many skirmishes. While they were enhanced humans, they all had their limits, and Zack wasn't willing to test that limit.

The trail of carnage became less and less as they left that section. One look at them told Zack, this guy took them down. There were no visible scars or trails of blood with the exception of its face. It came from either an eye or its jaw. Even though he wasn't familiar with guns, he knew an expert marksman when he saw one. This one happened to be one of the very best. It wasn't easy hitting a moving target with that degree of accuracy. He had to have been trained by the military or by an elite force outside the ShinRa company. Somehow he doubted that.

One would think he was a Turk. He held many things they needed: stealth, accuracy in shooting, analytical mind, and focus on the mission without letting his emotions control him. That was ridiculous. From what he recalled, there was no Turk who retired. They were killed in the line of duty or from an 'accident.'

Shaking that thought out of his head, Zack focused on the guy in front of him. "Where are we going?"

"… No one asked you to follow," the guy replied in a sharp tone, which left no room for questions.

Considering the small sources of light, Zack ventured to guess the guy went through some kind of enhancement. Otherwise, the accuracy in shooting would most definitely not exist. "I know. I just thought you know of a way out of here. Some way that doesn't involve hordes of those creatures."

"I see," the mysterious guy said. "I'm not going to stop you, but stay out of my way."

Zack grinned while his team whispered amongst themselves. He picked up a few words, most of them had to do with guessing the identity of the cloaked figure. "That I can do, but uh…" He scratched the back of his head with his left hand.

"… what is it?"

"Can you tell me what to call you? Oh I don't mean your real name, seeing as you don't want to be known. Just something so I'm not yelling 'Hey you!'"

The mysterious guy cast one glance at him. Those crimson eyes flashed something. It looked like a sign of respect. "You can call me Cerberus."

Zack managed to close the gap between the two, walking close to the guy's shoulder. They appeared to be about the same height. As for the build, it was hard to with those clothes. "I'm Zack Fair. Nice to meet you." He then rattled off the names of his team.

In spite of their brisk pace, Cerberus appeared to memorize those names along with the faces that went with them. While he kept his focus ahead, he also kept a close watch of his surroundings as if it was second nature. This was more evidence the guy was a former Turk or went through training.

"Wait, we have some friends," Zack said, remembering they were on their way to rescue the two Turks. The shock of seeing someone else there pushed aside his thought on rescuing the pair.

"If it's the Turks, they're fine, last I saw of them," Cerberus replied. He also knew what Zack planned on asking. "It was before I arrived." Oh so the guy saved the Turk's hides before coming to rescue their sorry asses.

"What about injuries?" Zack queried. He knew Turks carried their own materia and health potions, but they weren't an unlimited supply.

"Minor cuts and bruises." No need to rush over there. Come to think of it, how was Cerberus able to save them and make it in time to save their team? "You were making too much noise."

"I swear you can read minds," Zack muttered and then proceeded to sulk.

"No, I do not have that ability. You are an easy book to read." This hit Zack harder than one of those creatures and gave yet another reason to the possibility of him being a Turk.

With all the twists and turns, it was a wonder how the guy managed to keep track of where he was going. If he didn't know any better, Zack would have to say Cerberus had an internal compass just like those birds. They somehow knew which direction to fly for the summer and winter migration.

As they moved through tunnel after tunnel, Zack contemplated the name. He figured it was a name someone would use for a pet or a weapon. Then again, the second class gave permission for the guy to use an alias. Most likely, it was the name of his weapon, a three barrel revolver. It didn't take a genius to connect the weapon with the name. Cerberus was a three headed dog that guarded… he forgot what it was called, but the dead went there. It was a myth. For once, he was grateful Genesis decided to pick that book, the one on myths and legends. It had been a thick book and a lengthy read, but it resulted in many debates and theories as to the reasons why things happened the way they did.

Lost in his thoughts, Zack found himself approaching a backside. He halted, centimeters short of crashing into the guy. What happened? "What—"

Cerberus held up his hand before pointing to an opening in the wall. The water hadn't reached the level where it overflowed as the opening was high. However, it wasn't hard to climb through though it would be a tight fit for them. He made short work of going through it, graceful and quiet. As soon as he was on the other side, he held out his clawed hand. "Your weapon."

Zack didn't have to be told twice. He trusted the Cerberus since the guy didn't have to save them. After handing his weapon over, Zack found going through the hole to be much more difficult than the guy made it look. He touched down with a splash. Within seconds, he found his weapon in front of him. "Thanks."

The contents of the underground room floored him. Zack stared as shock settled into his very being. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Most of the room was covered in a web like substances. They stretched from the ceiling to the side wall and to the ground. There were even long, thick strands of them connecting the ceiling to the floor. Several deflated sacs hung from many points throughout the web. Had they been intact, there was no doubt the entire area would have been filled. They looked to be dry and brittle, which indicated whatever hatched from them had done a long time ago.

Spurred on by his insatiable curiosity, Zack found himself walking to them and stopped short of walking into the sticky net. He raised his sword to poke the sac with the tip of it. The sac disintegrated upon touch.

"Zack, what are you doing?" Kunsel asked, exasperation apparent in his voice. He marched over there to see what Zack was up to.

"No wonder why there were a lot of them," Zack said after a moment. He turned to face his best friend. "The creatures hatched from these. I know it." His friend didn't seem to buy it. For some reason, he felt the creatures originated from these eggs.

"I think you hit your head too many times or the stench messed with your mind," Kunsel said as he shook his head.

"He's right," Cerberus confirmed what Zack theorized. "Those sacs used to contain those creatures. We'd better hurry. This isn't the only place they laid eggs."

"No way!" Tatsuya gasped, shock written on his face. Same went for the other third class SOLDIERs. They couldn't believe there were more of these creatures running around.

"There's no way we can handle this on our own," Zack said, running his hand through his hair. They needed to go back to headquarters and request backup. Most likely, they would send a team of first classes. When it came to work, Zack wasn't known for exaggerating anything. He told it as it was, which helped him gain a good reputation in spite of his cheerful personality.

"Indeed," Lucas said. He no longer carried a filled bag of arrows. His remaining arrows were in his quiver, which was half full.

Cerberus motioned for them to depart, lest they wanted to greet the incoming creatures. He took several swift steps to an ordinary door. It opened without any resistance. The guy walked right into another underground room.

Zack followed him, knowing that asking questions would most likely be futile. He trusted the guy as far as keeping them physically safe. Bullets weren't cheap, and he used up quite a bit saving their sorry asses. His team wasn't far behind him.

Several machines occupied this room. They were arranged in four rows with ten per row. Each unit consisted of a mechanical base and a covered tube on top. Thin strips of metal held the remains of shattered glass. There was no doubt as to the function of these cylindrical devices. Zack could picture those creatures in them, floating around as they grew in size. This had to be the laboratory of one mad scientist. Hojo came into mind.

Seeing Cerberus standing at a metal door, Zack sent him a questioning look. Why did he stop? Was the door locked? When he didn't move, the second class realized Cerberus wanted him to take down the door. He sheathed his sword as this required both of his hands. Small bars gave him a good place to grip. He grabbed them and pulled with all his strength.

The door gave way quickly, causing Zack to stumble backwards. He braced for a crash landing but found two pairs of hand holding him. When he looked up, he saw Kunsel and Arkane holding him. "Thanks." The two helped him on his feet.

Beyond the door a stark corridor held a few doors. Zack wasn't sure what to make of them, but Cerberus knew where he was going. He glanced over to his team, who shrugged in response. Not wanting to lose sight of the guy, he rushed right after him. His team didn't have to be told to follow as they started moving when he did.

Cerberus made his way to the end of the hallway. In front of them stood a massive metal door. It looked like it could survive a mako bomb and Sephiroth. That was saying something. Zack doubted he would be able to pry the door like the previous one, but he supposed it wouldn't hurt to try. One look at Cerberus told him brute strength wasn't necessary. The guy was hunched over a hidden panel. Clawed fingers moved with precision as they attempted to unlock the door. It took more than a few attempts before they heard the sound of mechanical parts moving.

As he stepped through the open doorway, Zack let out a low whistle. The thickness of the wall would put ShinRa to shame. Even Sephiroth would find it hard to penetrate this defense. The contents of the room told Zack the reason behind the insane security. He had a feeling the metal used in the walls wasn't cheap. They were some of the strongest available.

This room indicated it was used for research. It looked like everyone abandoned their desks in a hurry as folders and papers were in disarray. Some were scattered on the floor and appeared to have been kicked around. Computers and monitors remained in their original positions. If this place hadn't been hidden and well guarded, there was no doubt none of the expensive equipment would remain. The desks were likely to be taken as well. Anything not bolted down made it easy picking for thieves.

"Grab as much information as you can find," Zack told his team while he looked at the scattered papers. "I want nothing left behind."

His team began picking up the papers and folders from the floor. With their wet boots, they would damage the sheets before they could figure out their contents. Since they were already disorganized, tossing them into piles shouldn't hurt. They were pressed for time.

Zack started from one desk and started making his way to the other desks. He took a few seconds to read one of them, a headache forming as he tried to decipher the words and numbers. It wasn't worth it. Let one of the scientists decode this scientific mumbo jumbo. He knew he wasn't smart when it came to this science stuff, but materia was a different matter.

When he reached the fourth desk, he found Cerberus tapping away on a computer. The computers still worked? He debated whether or not to take the computers with him, but one look from the guy said it wasn't worth it.

"This is the only working one," Cerberus said, not bothering to look up from the monitor.

"Why don't you take the whole thing?" Zack asked.

"Because the computer is on a network and anything important would be stored in a hidden system," Cerberus answered as if everyone knew about it.

"Can I get a copy of it?" Zack tried to not sound offensive, but he needed that information. As they said, to defeat an enemy, one must know their enemy.

"…" Cerberus scrutinized him. It wasn't like they had any obligations toward each other. They happened to be there at the same time and under the same circumstances. He looked over to the other SOLDIERs who paused in their gathering. "Don't make me regret this."

Zack understood the underlying message. They were not to disclose any of the information found on the computer. He nodded his head. "This stays between the five of us. Right? I mean we don't know our way around computers so we weren't able to access any of this."

The three third classes looked skeptical but nodded their heads. They could trust Zack with this. Whatever reasons he had for keeping it confidential, they must be damned good. Kunsel just went along with it as the two shared a deep trust in each other. If one defected, the other one wouldn't be far behind. They were that tight.

"We'll give them the papers, and that's it," Zack said. He knew they were treading on thin ice and that the other three shouldn't be involved, but they were already there. They saw Cerberus. "Our reports will say we were overwhelmed by those creatures and had to retreat. No one assisted us."

Cerberus stared at the second class SOLDIER. He had been caught off guard by Zack's decision to omit him from the reports. "I… I… I… Thank you."

A huge grin threatened to split Zack's face in two. "It's the least we can do after what you've done." His team agreed to it without any hesitation. If this guy hadn't come along, they would have been done for.


	8. Foul Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zack decides to become a pest to everyone and anyone. Now the others must deal with him. Oh joy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I mention new chapter? As in, I haven't posted it on fanfiction.net?
> 
> Oops?
> 
> Basically this is an interlude after all that action... and stench.
> 
> Hence, the title of the chapter. Hehehe. *slinks off*

Disclaimer: Chibi doesn't own either Final Fantasy VII or Bleach.

Foul Play

“What kept you?” Reno grumbled.

“You try fighting several of them with only swords,” Zack countered. Once they finished up with the lab, they made their way to where Cerberus last left the two Turks. The duo weren’t exactly where he last saw them, but they were close by. 

“Nu uh. No thank you!” Reno said. “I’m not suicidal enough to try, and I happen to like living.” Considering how armored they were and the limited amount of mako Turks received, it would be walking to their own funeral. Turks received enough to boost their agility, speed, senses, and flexibility though it was nowhere near the amount a third class SOLDIER received.

“Keep your eyes on the road,” Rude interrupted their conversation.

Reno muttered something incoherent even to SOLDIER hearing. “Well at least ya brought something back. Damn, we’re going soft.” It was known throughout ShinRa. SOLDIER took care of the muscle work while the Turks did most of the investigation.

“Oh?” Zack allowed his body to rest. After going through all those tunnels and fighting, he was more than ready to take a nice hot shower and hit the sack. Scratch that. Eat something and then go visit dreamland.

“Never thought you’d find the information before us,” Reno scowled, much to the amusement of the SOLDIERs.

When Zack’s team found the two Turks, they were trying to find a way out of the hellish place without tipping off the creatures. Their jaws dropped at the sheer amount of paperwork the SOLDIERs brought with them. It was like Christmas came early. Reno had pestered Zack on where he found the research materials, but Zack refused to give him any details, saying they stumbled onto it. He, along with his team, swore never to mention his presence to anyone, even their superiors. That risked their jobs and lives, but they wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for him. They owed him that much. Plus Zack said if he wanted them dead in the first place, he wouldn’t have helped them. To which Cerberus replied, he was running low bullets by the time he found them.

That was another thing. Just before they reached the Turks, their rescuer stopped. Cerberus told them how to leave and ensured all five of them knew in case they should somehow be separated. By not coming with them to see the Turks, his actions told them he didn’t show himself to them and not to tell either of them about his presence. He then disappeared into thin air. The guy was a mystery wrapped within a mystery. Zack found himself wanting to know more about the guy, beyond his reasons for venturing down there. He knew it was for information, but what did he plan on doing with it?

“Maybe it’s time for someone to retire,” Zack teased the red head. Everyone knew Turks didn’t retire. They were either killed in the line of duty or disappeared. No one would know they were missing as they cut off all connections with their past lives. All in the name of protecting Shinra. Past connections were seen as potential weaknesses that could be used against them. Once they were no longer useful, the company couldn’t have them wandering around. Turks knew too much to risk letting them go. “Old man.”

Reno strung a line of some colorful words. “You’re a bastard, you know that?”

“Love you too,” Zack returned. 

“Right,” Reno said, skepticism lacing his voice. It was the same old routine between the two of them. One would think they were enemies or rivals, but they loved to tease each other about anything and everything. It was kind of like having a brother who happened to double as an assassin and spy. “Don’t need that kind of love.”

“What kind of love do you need?” Zack said, waggling his brows even though Reno had his eyes glued to the road. The SOLDIERs snickered at the sight.

“Nothing from you!”

“Have fun with those papers. I’m sure they can give all the love you need,” Zack blurted out, causing the others to bust up laughing.

“Well at least I have love from these papers and a date for Friday night,” Reno returned with equal force. He chuckled when he heard Zack sputtering. “Hey, you ready for the exam?”

Zack banged his head against the wall of their transport. With everything that happened, he completely forgot about them. Today was Thursday. His mentor wouldn’t be finished with his treatment until next week. Then the exams started on Monday. Joy.

“Watch the paint! She just came from the shop,” Reno scowled. Sure, he cared for Zack, but any damage not caused by enemies was taken out of their pay. Reno liked to liven things up. He also loved his alcohol and his tolerance rivaled that of a third class SOLDIER. It was to forget everything about being a Turk.

“Oops? Hey, you’re cheating on her with your paperwork,” Zack said. It was a miracle for him to think of anything complicated. Fatigue already taken hold of him and refused to let go.

“Who says I can’t handle them both?”

“You player.”

****

“What just died in here?” Genesis growled. From the way he was position, he must have woken up from a nap due to the stench. Hence, his irritable and crabby self appeared.

A pair of turquoise eyes fell on him. The twins were also there. It took a moment for him to remember why they were there in the first place. Their looks mirrored each other, a scowl. Zack didn’t blame them. He became accustomed to the stench a long time ago.

“I was on a mission,” Zack announced with a shrug.

“What?!” Angeal shot up only to be taken down by two cuties. “I didn’t hear of it.” Second classes were his responsibility after all.

“You’re on sick leave,” Zack said. “And before I kill your sense of smell, I’m gonna take a shower.”

“Wise decision,” Toushiro drawled. The two had yet to release their hold on the burly first class.

Zack stopped short of entering the hallway. He turned to face the others with a mischievous smile on his face. “You’re so lucky, ‘Geal. Having two cuties hanging on your arms.” He laughed upon seeing his mentor turn bright red and the twins releasing the guy.

“I’m not cute!”

“Whatever you say.” Zack ignored any protests from the icy twin. He stopped by his room for a change of clothes and headed for the shower. After entering the room, he realized he forgot to put his sword away. Angeal would forgive him this time. Zack hoped. It wasn’t like he intentionally forgot. The same went for the exams. His mentor didn’t stop his treatment until the end of his exams. Same went for Genesis.

Once he peeled off the sweat, sewer, and blood drenched uniform, Zack exhaled in relief. The crap crusted on his uniform made it uncomfortable for him to wear. He had a feeling it was the same for his team. They were probably relaxing in a nice, hot shower. Zack debated on whether or not to salvage his uniform. The tears in it could be mended, but getting that gunk out would be harder, considering how long they had it on them.

When they arrived, he dismissed his team and reported to Lazard. That was one thing he didn’t enjoy about being a leader. His first duty upon arrival was to report to his superior unless he was incapacitated to the point of needing to be carried in. Then the next highest ranking SOLDIER was to report in his place. Ever since he became second class, he always wanted to lead a team. Now he regretted it. Being a leader was more than issuing orders and looking out for his team.

With the additional responsibilities, Lazard stayed in his office after hours. Needless to say, he wasn’t pleased when Zack waltz in there to give his report. The stench from him could kill a normal human. Many fled from his and his team’s presence once the foul odor hit their olfactory. In other words, they smelled like death. Knowing how dangerous the stench was, he made his report brief and to the point for which Lazard was thankful for. Once Zack finished his report, his superior quickly dismissed him. Not that the second class blamed him. He wouldn’t want to be around himself in this circumstance.

The belt and the shoulder armor could be salvaged, but the rest had to go. Zack planned on personally disposing of it himself. He wouldn’t wish this even on his worst enemy. Scratch that, maybe on that one force. Gaia’s enemy. Everyone except that and maybe Jenova. She was a bitch for manipulating Sephiroth and using him as a tool.

Enough thinking. Zack turned on the shower, allowing the cold water to hit him. When it warmed to the right temperature, he didn’t move and enjoyed the hot water to flow on him. His sore and aching muscles relaxed. It was like a watery massage. He didn’t say for long since that would be wasting water.

****

Zack thought the twins would leave after giving the injections, but they planned on staying one more night for observations. Well the nice (and sometimes sadistic) twin was. Zack didn’t mind either of them staying. He even cuddled them both, much to their irritation. At least, he did it after his shower and not while he wore his filthy uniform. Seishiro quietly thanked him while Toushiro threatened him with castration should Zack hug him while he was dirty. Zack was floored when he heard that threat as they were both guys. Genesis attempted to hold his laughter but failed. He ignored the glares Zack sent his way.

“So how is it?” Zack asked and took a seat next to his mentor.

“Not as bad as yesterday,” Angeal replied. He looked better too. To think, this was the person who asked Zack to kill him, a monster. At that point, Angeal no longer thought of himself as a human but a monster that should be eliminated. He pushed and pushed until Zack was trapped in a corner with no other alternative than to kill his beloved mentor. It was a painful experience.

“It will become better as his body adjust to it,” Seishiro said from his position on the bean bag. He and his twin claimed the spot for themselves while he showered. The two managed to fit on that without one hanging off of it.

“That’s good to hear,” Zack said, relief evident in his voice. He allowed himself to relax and sink into the couch’s cushions. 

With Zack exhausted, Angeal recovering, Genesis preoccupied, Toushiro not a talker, and Seishiro sleep deprived, silence filled the room. Zack and Seishiro began to drift off. Genesis continued his brooding. Toushiro was… Toushiro. Who knew what went through his mind?

As if on cue, five stomachs growled.

Their reactions were priceless. Genesis didn’t seem to be phased by it. He shrugged it off as being human, thus, needing to eat every now and then. Angeal looked like he wanted to become one with the couch. It was kind of hard given his height and build. Seishiro blushed a bright red, which Zack still found adorable. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Toushiro, on the other hand, was unreadable as a block of ice. He just scowled and stayed scowling. Come to think of it, Zack couldn’t remember a time when he didn’t see the little guy not scowling. It was as if he had a permanent scowl on his face.

“I’ll order something for us,” Zack said as he rose to his feet. He took one step and stopped due to a hand grabbing him.

“You stay here, I’ll order,” Genesis said. He had left the lazy boy to prevent Zack from going to the kitchen. An unspoken exchanged happened before the second class sat back down.

It was the second night they ordered out. If Angeal wasn’t out of commission, he would have been lecturing all of them on the importance of eating healthy, home cooked meals. He grew up on food prepared by his mother. From what Zack recalled, they weren’t rolling in the money, but they weren’t dirt poor either. They had just enough to get by.

Five more. Just five more to go. Then it would be over.

First Zack needed to pass the exams, more than ever. He had to become first class no matter what. Lives depended on him. Now he knew how the Cloud from his timeline felt when he led Avalanche against Sephiroth. The weight of the world rested on his shoulders. It wasn’t as glorious as the media made it to be. One wrong move spelled disaster for more than himself.

Priorities were priorities. Zack knew better than to focus on the trivial things even if he found them to be fun. He closed his eyes. Man, this silence was getting to him.

Someone shaking his shoulder broke the sleep spell casted on Zack not too long ago. He opened his eyes to find Genesis. It surprised him the red head volunteered to wake him up as it was hard for Zack to wake up in the morning. For the early morning patrols and duties, Angeal dragged his sorry rear out of bed and dropped him. Unless he was dead tired, that woke him.

“Food’s here. Everyone’s at the table,” Genesis informed him as there was no one else in this room. “Better hurry if you want to get something to eat.” He sauntered to the dining area.

Zack grinned. Once they became friends, he discovered Genesis had one wicked sense of humor. If he didn’t know any better, he would have to say the red head was a brother to him, but that didn’t sit well with him. He tried figuring out the problem. It left him running in circles and being frustrated so he gave up on it.

To everyone’s surprise, Zack walked in like a normal person, no bouncing, fidgeting, or flailing. He shrugged. It was bound to happen when he was tired enough. They accepted that answer for now, however, both Angeal and Genesis shared something Zack couldn’t figure out what. Were they onto him?

Before Angeal had a chance to speak, Zack beat him to it, knowing what the first class wanted to ask. “Monster extermination in the sewers. Three workers were found dead this morning.” He paused, remembering they had two civilians with them at the table. The details would have to wait. “We weren’t successful. There were too many, but there were no casualties unless you count our sense of smell.”

His mentor exhaled with relief and began eating. It was a wonder he didn’t jump on Zack and demand a report. The guy could be overprotective. While it was endearing, it was also annoying. They were both adults.

Zack turned his attention to the take out Genesis so kindly ordered. He raised a brow, giving the red head that look. The choice in cuisine seemed rather odd for that first class.

“What? I wanted to try this restaurant, but you know how it is.” Being a first class SOLDIER and one in charge, Genesis didn’t have much of a chance to try new restaurants or have much of a social life. “A secretary recommended the place.”

When Genesis mentioned secretary, Zack looked at the twins. He still couldn’t figure out who was who as they both wore similar expressions. Wait, was that not a scowl? So Toushiro had expressions other than a scowl. Who would have thought that?

“…”

“Guess it wasn’t you then,” Zack said when the guy didn’t reply.

“I’m not the only secretary,” Toushiro said, annoyance lacing his voice. It was then Zack noticed the two eating with different hands. Toushiro was right handed while his twin was left. Okay, now he had something to tell them apart, but only when they had something in their hands.

****

Zack yawned as he made his way to Lazard’s office. For a change, he woke up first or he thought he did. Well he woke up before Angeal. He found Toushiro cooking breakfast. It seemed the guy liked waking up at ungodly hours. If he had more height and muscle, he would have made a good SOLDIER. He had the intellect. Zack assisted in the cooking. If there was someone else, it helped him to concentrate. His mind wouldn’t be wandering somewhere else, thus, making him forget what he was doing in the first place. The others began shuffling into the dining room by the time they finished cooking.

Lazard was in his office. Did the guy live there?

“So any missions for me?” Zack asked, hoping he wouldn’t be deployed. His muscles were still sore even for someone with his mako levels.

“As of this moment, no. It’s the regular patrol,” Lazard said. He sounded strained, making Zack wonder if he slept at all last night. “You want to know something.” It wasn’t a question.

“Uh… yeah, about my mission yesterday,” Zack started. He paused as his mind scrambled for the words to say. It grasped nothing since the sleep fog hadn’t completely lifted. “You know. Who’s going to be sent to finish the job?”

Lazard stared at him. The wrinkling between his brows didn’t bode well for someone. His posture was stiffer than a board. “No one.”

Huh?

“What do you mean no one?” Zack asked, completely flabbergasted. He knew they failed to complete the mission. They didn’t have enough man power to do so. There were more than what anyone anticipated. If it hadn’t been for that guy, they would have been monster chow.

“What I mean is someone finished it before we could send another team,” Lazard replied. He leaned on his desk, with his head on his hands. “A pair of Turks stumbled across the bodies of those creatures. They discovered the tunnel had been flooded last night.”

“There’s more to it. Right?”

Lazard nodded his head. “They found ice covering sections of the sewers. This stays between us. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.” Zack replied with a salute. Too many secrets these days. He didn’t like it, but then again, he had the biggest secret of them all. No one would believe him. Hell, he didn’t believe it, and he went through it. “Uh…”

“What?”

“Angeal… He’ll want to know.” Fidget.

“He’s on sick leave. It doesn’t concern him for now.”

“Yeah, but he’s also my mentor.”

Pause. “You may disclose what transpired yesterday. However, this information isn’t relevant to your safety or training. I’m not even sure why I’m telling you this.”

Zack shrugged. “Probably because I was team leader on this mission and SOLDIERs see the mission to the end?”

Lazard accepted that logic. “You’re dismissed.”

Zack gave one more salute before leaving the office. He thought about telling Lazard to get more sleep, but… that wasn’t his place to do so.

Since his patrol didn’t start until after lunch, Zack found himself with time to kill. He grinned and laughed, causing the people passing by to stare at him. Off to see one cute little chocobo! Or more like pester the blond. One look at his watch told him Cloud was in hand to hand combat class. Oh, that sounds like a fun class to drop into even if the instructor was a little (okay a lot) on the crazy side.

Zack knew he should be studying and training for the upcoming exams, but dammit it made him more nervous and anxious. He at least attempted to last night in spite of his exhaustion. The textbooks made good sleeping pills without the side effects. Someone told him there was a natural sleep aid, mela-something. For a SOLDIER, they needed several doses more than the average human to get the same results, but on the other hand, it was harder for them to fall ill. Come to think of it, he wondered whether or not those people believed Angeal’s reason for sick leave, considering all the mako pumped into them.

“I wonder why we’re not glowing green,” Zack said to no one in particular. He ignored the looks from the people passing by him. They wouldn’t understand what it was like. They weren’t even on the front lines. Not that he was saying they weren’t an important part of the military. They provided services to the SOLDIERs…

Zack’s mind derailed, heading straight for the gutter. He smacked himself. Heh, figured he was a healthy teenager if he was thinking those thoughts. If he was younger, he would have been proud of it. His older self thought it was annoying.

Before he knew it, Zack found himself standing in the cadet training area. He had both fond and horrible memories of the place. It was also where he first met Angeal. Once the first class started mentoring him, he never thought he would be stepping in these hallways. Cloud failed his exam, thus, Zack met him in the areas MP were allowed. This time was different. He was going to help Cloud succeed as a SOLDIER.

His feet started moving forward to the hand to hand combat classroom. If it was the same as he remembered, this one had very little in means of furniture and other teaching aids. It was the cheapest classroom, which was why it was in better condition than the others.

“If you’re going to stand out there, try not to block the door.”

Yeah, Zack forgot one minor detail. First class SOLDIERs had enhanced hearing so no doubt the instructor heard him breathing out there. Maybe heartbeat.

The second class grasped the knob before remembering these doors and walls weren’t built to withstand SOLDIER strength. He held back his strength as he opened the door. Inside the room, cadets paired off as they were practicing their moves. The instructor observed from the ‘front’ of the classroom.

Tala raised a brow, seeing Zack. “Hey kiddies, looks like we’re in for a treat. We have a fellow SOLDIER visiting our class.”

Several eyes widened and jaws dropped. What? They had a first class as their instructor. A second class wasn’t that impressive. Okay maybe a little. He knew he was when he had been in their shoes.

“So what brings your sorry ass here?”

“Oh you know. The same old drill. Ship Zack to where he would cause the least trouble,” Zack returned. Who ever said SOLDIERs had to be boring?

“They decided you’d be less trouble for them by having you annoy my class?”

“Pretty much! But seriously, I came to check on the cadets,” Zack said. His eyes scanned the frozen in place cadets. Did someone use a freeze materia on them? He swore he left his back in the apartment.

However, one blond cadet didn’t seem to be phased by his appearance. He was attempting to bring his sparring partner back to reality. When that didn’t work, he glared at Zack, since he was the cause of all the commotion.

“I have my work cut out for me,” Tala sighed and clapped his hands, breaking the spell. “Yo. Why aren’t we moving? The SOLDIER exams aren’t too far away. Can’t have you slacking off. Chop. Chop.”

“Yes, sir!” The cadets chorused before resuming what they were doing prior to his entrance. They attempted to resume their sparring session. Many lacked any focus when they saw a SOLDIER. Oops? Maybe he shouldn’t have come here. Too late for that.

Tala meandered to where Zack stood near the door. “So you have your eyes on one of them?”

“Maybe…” Two could play this game.

“Oh? Do tell,” Tala purred. Sure, the guy was a pervert, but he was damned good at martial arts, minus any weapon. He could actually go toe to toe with Sephiroth. That was what he heard from Genesis.

“Now where would the fun be in that?” No, it was more like to protect the identity of the cadet. His younger self would haven’t any second thoughts about naming Cloud, but he knew better. He knew what it was like being singled out as a cadet. Sure, he made friends, but he also made enemies too.

“Too true. Too true,” Tala chuckled. “Oi. Henderson, a breeze will knock you over with that kind of balance.” Said person corrected his stance. “You know your exams are around the corner. Literally. Why aren’t you studying? It’s not easy.”

Zack sighed. “I tried. It made me nervous, but I discovered a good use for the textbooks.”

“Doorstops? Coasters? Something to put under a table so it would stop rocking?”

“Natural sleep aids.”

Tala stared at him before busting up. “Good one. That’s a good one. Remind me to mention that to Davis. I’m sure he’ll get a kick out of it.”

Zack snorted at the thought. “I’m sure he’d rather kick you!” He sent a playful punch at his senior.

“I’d like to see him try! If it weren’t for his personality, he’d probably make it to third class. I never did like the guy.”

“You and me both.”

A scuffle broke out between a few cadets. Both Tala and Zack jumped into the fray, breaking up the fight. They held all the participants until they calmed down. One look at Tala told the other cadets not to cause any trouble. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with it. No one dared challenge that.

“I want explanations. Now,” Tala said with all the authority of a first class SOLDIER. The appearance of mako green in his eyes meant he was not a happy camper.

“Strife started it. He was showing off cause there’s a different SOLDIER in the room.”

“Well, Strife?”

Blue eyes stared at the floor. “I only used the moves you taught us.”

Tala pinched the bridge of his nose. Dealing with troublemakers came with the job of being an instructor. Not to mention the envy some of them held. “Henderson, stop blaming other people for your mistakes. It’s unbecoming of a SOLDIER. We take care of our own. That means being responsible for when we do something wrong. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal clear, Sir,” Henderson forced out. There was a rotten apple in every bunch. From the looks of it, this cadet never took responsibility for his errors and tried to pass the blame onto someone else.

“Now do you understand why I pair you with Strife?”

“Because he’s weak?”

“Wrong. Because he has good form and understands the fundamentals,” Tala said. His eyes continued to shine green. “If you want to go anywhere, you need to master the basics. There isn’t any shortcut to becoming a SOLDIER. It’s not as glamorous as you think it is. We fight. We get dirty. We kill. We’re wounded. It’s not all fun and games. If you’re after fame and money, I suggest rethinking your future.”

“Yes, Sir.” By this time, Henderson resembled a tomato. He fidgeted under the scrutiny of his peers and two SOLDIERs. No one wanted to be singled out at this stage, good or bad, but there were times when it became necessary.

“Class dismissed.”

Cadets hurried to grab their belongings. They bumped into each other though no fights broke out. Instead they behaved as if it never happened. They wanted out of the room especially Henderson, who embarrassed himself yet again from the looks of it.

“I never understand young people these days,” Tala sighed. When it came to disciplining, it wasn’t fun for many though it was necessary to keep the order. 

“Eh. You’re not that old. I think.” Zack shrugged. It was hard enough keeping track of his dates let alone someone else’s. His eyes stayed glued to one blond who didn’t seem to be in a hurry to leave unlike his peers. Cloud stayed off to the side, waiting for the mad rush to stop.

“Age is a number, but damn I feel old. I’m out of touch with the younger generation. Then again, mako keeps us young. Imagine all the women who would be lining up for it.”

Zack scoffed at that idea. “I don’t think they want to go through the pain.”

“If can survive giving birth to babies and deal with that time of month, I’d say they’re stronger than they look,” Tala said in what sounded to be a respectful tone. Women were complicated. It was hard understanding them, but without them, humans would cease to exist.

“You just had to mention that,” Zack groaned, remembering the mood swings his mother went through during that time. He learned to not take anything she said personally. It helped she apologized when the pain decreased and she could think coherently. “Even if it’s true.”

“Zack?”

Oh right, Zack was here for Cloud. “Hey buddy. You’re doing great.” He gave the blond two thumbs up, embarrassing the poor boy and amusing the first class.

“Zzzzzaaaaaaaaaccccckkkkkkkk~!” Cloud whined.


	9. You Don't Say?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the calm before the storm. Just the puppy getting into some mischief... as usual!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >u>; Chibi's being too lazy to edit and upload...

Tala chuckled at the antics of his junior and cadet. The two made an interesting combination: the outgoing and cheerful SOLDIER with the introvert and pessimistic cadet. Nevertheless, he began preparing for the next class. With the success rate being low, they made the number of cadets entering large. It also helped to cut down on the cost since they put the cadets to work. Only those who made ‘donations’ to the company were let off this duty, having special privileges.

“You’re embarrassing,” Cloud whined as he attempted to pry himself from Zack’s grip. He gave up a minute later and allowed the second class to do as he pleased.

“No one’s looking.” Zack loved hugging Cloud, having the small body close to his. “And you’re comfy.” Or maybe it was the fact he loved hugging cute things… people.

If he didn’t know any better, Zack would venture to say the cadet was glaring at this moment. The differences in height made intimacy hard, but it made snuggling comfortable. Wait a moment… Zack pushed those thoughts out of his head as the blond was still considered a minor. It wouldn’t be until next month until Cloud turned sixteen. That was one date he wouldn’t forget. Neither was the birthdays of his other friends: Sephiroth (never liked celebrating birthdays), Angeal (preferred giving them), Genesis (loved being the center of attention), Kunsel (wanted only a small celebration), and Reno (secret parties only).

Cloud wasn’t buying it, not one bit. “The next class is going to be here, and I need to get to my next class.”

“Right. Gotta concentrate on those classes,” Zack said with great reluctance. If it were up to him, he would have placed Cloud in the mentorship program. They started the program to assist the naturally gifted. Zack thought it was BS since they gained well trained individuals in the end, but he too had been part of the program. His tutoring of Cloud was off the records though he wanted it to be official. “Ugh… You have tactics right?”

“Yeah,” Cloud said, managing to free himself when the second class lost his focus. “The teacher isn’t that bad.”

“… You’re joking, right?” Did his little chocobo hit his head during this training spar? No, it had to be impossible. Zack taught him moves Tala would later on, once the others had a better grasp on the basics.

“I guess he’s hard on everyone and hates them too,” Cloud started off. He found the floor to be very interesting and then his boots. “But he’s not that bad once you start talking to him.”

“As in?”

“I’ve been doing a little research on strategies used in past wars,” Cloud said, surprising Zack. The kid went above and beyond the minimum requirements. “Since he’s an expert on it, I wanted to get some opinions on them. Also I’ve been trying to come up with my own.”

So take Davis out of the military setting and get him into a conversation, he was a decent conversationalist? Somehow Zack found that hard to believe. “Are you sure we’re talking about the same person here? ‘Cause I haven’t heard anything good about him, and I went through his class… well a long time ago.”

Cloud nodded his head, his spikey hair waving. “Yeah. We’ve discussed strategies over lunch. He finds my strategies to be interesting and wanted to know more about them.”

This left Zack dumbfounded. Here he thought the guy was an asshole who was jealous of everyone who ascended the SOLDIER system and made it difficult for those he taught. “You know that’s the first time I’ve heard him praise anyone. Seriously. What did you do?”

“Uh… I was nice to him?” Cloud never ceased to surprise him. Who would have thought being nice to a jerk would allow them to see the other side of him? “He’s really into tactics and strategies. I mean he lives and breathes them.” According to Cloud’s description, it made sense for the guy to have a library of nothing but tactics, strategies, and history (unbiased of course).

“Still finding it hard to believe that.”

“You’re not the only one,” Tala said from his position against the wall. He had been listening into their conversation, it seemed. “That’s a mystery for another time and day. As much as I hate doing this, I’m gonna have to kick you two lovebirds out of my class. My next class is starting shortly, and short stuff shouldn’t be running late to his next one.”

Cloud glared at Tala for being called short. He resembled a baby chocobo with his feathers fluffed up, thus, making him unintimidating. If being cute could kill, he would be on par with Sephiroth. He stomped out of the classroom.

Zack held up his hands in defeat. “He doesn’t like any references to his uh… lack of height.”

“I know,” Tala said with an impish smile, “which is why I do it. He’s cute when he storms off.”

That Zack had to agree on, but the lovebirds part, no. Even though he wanted Cloud, he knew he needed to be careful around the blond, lest he scare him away. “Lovebirds, really? He’s still considered a minor.”

“Not after next month,” Tala replied with a laugh and surprising the two. “What? I make it a point to look at their applications. Saves me the trouble of asking them during class.” He shrugged.

Before Zack could protest, Cloud dragged him out of there. He sported a huge blush, making him resemble a tomato or a cooked lobster. More on the cooked lobster due to the steam coming from him or maybe that was Zack’s imagination. The blond dragged Zack all the way to his next class, which the second class didn’t mind. It was nice for a change, him being dragged instead of doing the dragging. However, they stopped short of the door when Cloud released his grip on him.

“Behave.” Cloud sent him a glare.

Zack attempted to look innocent, but something told him his student was not buying it in the least bit. He tried. From what he remembered, Davis was a jerk though Cloud said otherwise. It would be interesting to see him interacting with the jealous and uptight teacher.

Inside the classroom, Davis was lecturing a cadet, who wasn’t paying any attention. His face remained in the permanent scowling expression. If the guy had any others, Zack would be surprise. Maybe angry or neutral, but that was about it. He didn’t think Davis could be happy or close to that.

The classroom was just as how he remembered it to be. Thanks to their cheapness, they went with the long tables and mismatched chairs. If one broke, they replaced it with anything on clearance. Up front, notes and a couple floor plans covered the two large chalkboards. Between the rows of tables and the chalkboards was a small, simple desk.

As soon as Davis turned his attention to Cloud, the cadet made his escape and took a seat in the back row. When Zack had this class, he chose the back as well. It was easier to doodle during classes than the front rows.

“Finally someone competent,” Davis grumbled. He took one look at Zack and narrowed his eyes. It seemed the teacher hadn’t forgotten Zack’s time there even though it had been some time. “I hope you don’t take after your mentor.”

“No, I don’t,” Cloud replied.

“Good, you need brains to become a SOLDIER. It isn’t all about brawn. Kids these days.” From what he observed, Davis favored Cloud though he doubted the older teacher gave him any special privileges. It was more on he gave the blond harder material.

Cloud nodded his head. “Sometimes the best solutions aren’t straight forward.” This earned him some more points in the teacher’s book.

“Is there anything you need, Fair?” Davis asked, turning his attention to the second class. His beady eyes staring right through him.

“Nope. Just observing classes,” Zack replied, which was true, but he didn’t plan on visiting the classes without Cloud. He received a skeptical look from his little chocobo. What? Besides now that he thought about it, brushing up on the basics would be beneficial for his exams. He wanted to forget about them except he knew they weren’t going to go away.

Davis motioned for him to stay in the back. Not that Zack needed to be told. It was a given. Any SOLDIER or Turk observing classes for potential recruits stayed in the back with the exception of practical classes such as materia, weapons, unarmed combat, and physical (weight lifting, aerobics, endurance). Those classrooms had observation rooms where they could watch the cadets without them knowing. Most of them had no clue, but some of the smarter ones knew. Those smart ones tended to be snapped up by the Turks. One notable person was Wesley Tailor. He slipped past the Turks into the SOLDIER program.

Zack passed by a few cadets, ignoring the stares he received. Didn’t they know both SOLDIERs and Turks dropped by the classrooms every now and then? He supposed they weren’t informed of it so they wouldn’t be nervous about it and mess up. Hence the reason why it was rare for Sephiroth to be visible in any classroom. He trusted his subordinates for the classrooms that didn’t have the observation rooms or looked at their records.

Seeing as there was time before class, not many cadets were in there. Zack didn’t blame them as he wouldn’t want to be in that class with a teacher that breathed down his neck, but for some reason, he liked Cloud. Then again, it was hard not to like the little chocobo. Or he could be completely biased about it. He settled down in a corner, leaning against both sides of the wall.

A couple minutes before the class started, the cadets poured into the room, passing by him. It was easy to dismiss the nervousness and stiffness of the cadets already there. Like Tala, he played no favorites and hated everyone. That was until now. Everyone scrambled for a seat as the teacher was the punctual type.

“We will be going over the last exam,” Davis said as he tapped the chalkboard with a chalk. “Clearly we can tell who took this class seriously and actually studied. For those who managed to grasp the concept, you’re excused from this extra project.” The class groaned. “I will not have incompetent SOLDIERs out in the field. Tailor, pass back the papers.”

Tailor picked up the papers before passing them out to the cadets. He grinned when he stopped at Cloud’s desk and handed him his exam. It didn’t take the cadet long to dispense the papers before he took a seat with his paper in hand.

“Johnson, Matthews, Strife, and Tailor. You are free to go. The rest. Pay attention. You might fill those empty skulls of yours.” That was harsh, but no one said being in the military was a picnic either.

The four cadets who passed the exam began packing their belongings, the others watching with jealousy. It was clear who was going to be making third class with flying colors. Zack knew if they could survive this class, then the others shouldn’t be a problem for them. Out of all of them, he found this to be the hardest. Then again, strategies weren’t his strong point.

As Cloud passed him, he gave Zack a cheeky grin. Since he said he was observing classes, it made no sense for him to leave so soon. The little chocobo was taunting him. Still it was an improvement over the old Cloud.

Back to the situation at hand. Zack also figured he could use a refresher course in the basics… well the ones that required him to think harder. It wasn’t that he couldn’t learn, more on having trouble with focusing. He watched how the remaining cadets attempt to answer the questions and explain their reasons for why they chose that over something else.

“Wrong again. Fair, can you explain why their method of entry will result in disaster?”

Several pairs of eyes turned to him, and they froze in place with the deer in the headlights look.

Zack cleared his throat to snap them out of it. “A lot of things can go wrong. There’s too many factors involved. Even if you take into account the guards patrolling, you don’t have enough information to safely make it. You don’t know whether or not there are more in the building, ready to ambush you. Then let’s not forget the security system. I mean come on. There has to be some sort of system if they have anything valuable there. Also need to take into account the time it takes to actually break in. So in short, it looks like a suicide mission.”

“Correct. See that’s what it takes to be a SOLDIER. Don’t depend on your muscles to accomplish everything. It takes brains,” Davis said. This stunned Zack as he read between the lines. Maybe the instructor was softening or he had enough experience dealing with this kind of stuff. It could be both. Who knew?

“Fair, care to show these cadets how it’s supposed to be done?”

Eh? Why not? Zack was stuck there anyways. He pushed off the walls and headed to the front of the classroom. “When dealing with unknown factors, you gotta do some reconnaissance. Sure, it takes time, but you’ll be more prepared to deal with them. Also even the best plan can go awry, it’s better to have contingencies.” 

Davis gave his nod of approval. 

If this kept up, the second class wondered whether or not he was dreaming. It felt very strange. He grabbed a chalk before tapping in certain places. “These are the best places for surveillance. The trees and shrubs should provide enough cover under the night sky…”

****

By the end of the class, many of the cadets stared at him with awe. They actually paid attention to what he had to say and asked many questions, which Zack didn’t mind answering. It helped him study for his upcoming exam. Now why didn’t he think of this? It was better than trying to study from a book or notes.

After the cadets exited the room, Davis studied him from head to toe. “You’ve improved a lot. Never thought you’d comprehend the finer points of strategy and tactics.”

“A matter of focus and some hands on experience,” Zack said with a shrug. Sure, it wasn’t his strong point, but Angeal made sure to drill it into him. It also helped he was much older than what he was supposed to be.

“Hn.”

Zack tilted his head. “I guess some people learn better when they’re actually doing it. You know?” He was more of a hands on person. With his personality and focus, it wasn’t hard to see that. No matter how much he said Angeal annoyed him with this, Zack wouldn’t have any other mentor.

It appeared Davis took this into consideration. “I’m sure you have better things to do than to hang around here.”

“Right.” Zack gave him the two fingered salute before taking his leave. Perhaps Cloud was right about him. Maybe Davis was just misunderstood like Sephiroth.

When he stepped outside the classroom, Zack found cadets milling about, getting ready to go to their next class. One more course before breaking for lunch. That used to be his favorite time of the day. He wondered how he made it out of the cadet program with the way he behaved. Perhaps it was fate.

A few steps later, the cadets parted way or made a mad dash to stay out of his way. Zack blinked several times. He wasn’t like The General, who scared the shit out of anyone just by looking at them. Not to mention, he wasn’t used for promotions outside the company. Maybe he should ask Cloud. The blond heard things SOLDIERs wouldn’t hear. Also Genesis tended to scare the crap out of anyone with his volatile temper. No one never knew when he would explode, and when he did, he never went small scale.

If he recalled Cloud’s schedule, he should have materia with Talia. The name didn’t sound familiar to Zack so he figured the guy began teaching after he was accepted into the mentorship program. He hadn’t heard anything good about the guy but he hadn’t heard anything bad either. However, the blond seemed to like the class. It happened to be Zack’s favorite class as he understood the concepts even the complex ones. His former teacher gave him good comments, and oh gods, he had focus. Perhaps it was due to him having a huge interest in it.

Bounding to the door, Zack ignored the looks cadets gave him. What? It was part of his personality. He remembered not to fling open the door with gusto as he didn’t want the cost to be taken out of his paycheck. Thank you very much.

At the front of the classroom, Nathaniel Talia stood conversing with Cloud and another cadet. He seemed to be immersed in the conversation with the two that he missed Zack’s quiet entrance. Other cadets were scattered in different groups through the classroom. From what he could tell, there were some cadets missing. He wondered if Davis was even in the class. From the moment he saw that kid, he rubbed Zack the wrong way.

Zack thought it would be awhile before anyone noticed him. He was dead wrong about it. In less than a minute, he heard a few gasps, followed by the scraping of chairs. Cadets stared at him… well the ones in the back. He knew those were the ones who either were barely making the grade or completely flunking. Unlike the other classes, he sat in the front where he could ask the teacher questions.

“Yo! Don’t mind me. Just observing,” Zack said with a cheerful grin.

Nathaniel seemed to be amused while Cloud looked downright embarrassed. Oops? Oh well. He hadn’t been spending enough time with his little chocobo.

“I’ve heard thing about you from my predecessor,” Talia mentioned. It was silent enough for the two of them to carry a conversation from the opposite side of the room. Maybe enough to hear a pin drop.

“I hope they’re all good!”

“He said something about being house broken,” the materia instructor chuckled. He leaned on his desk in a casual manner. Oh snap. Did he have to mention Zack’s nickname? That was embarrassing! “Puppy.”

Zack groaned, hearing his nickname. “You just had to tell them.” His mentor mentioned something about him having the attention span of a puppy. Now that nickname stuck with him. He wanted to forget about it, but it seemed no one was going to allow him.

Cadets stared at him as if he was one of Hojo’s escaped experiments. Technically he was, but that was in a different future, one that they need not know. They whispered amongst each other, probably wondering why a SOLDIER wound up with a cute nickname.

“Of course,” Nathaniel replied with a cheeky grin. “Someone has to keep you on a short leash.”

Cloud clasped his hands over his mouth, his shoulders shaking. Was he laughing? When Zack turned his attention to him, the blond regained his composure. It wasn’t a trick of the eyes for sure. There was no doubt Cloud laughed even if it was stifled.

“Sure, go ahead and laugh,” Zack pouted as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Before anyone could respond, the rest of the class wandered into the classroom, not seeing the SOLDIER who was now in the corner of the room. They scrambled for any available seat. It appeared these cadets weren’t all from the previous class, however, he recognized Henderson. If anything, the guy might try to get even with Cloud for showing him up in the unarmed combat class. He had no sense of honor.

This session had a practical section. Nathaniel planned to do a review before they broke for practice. Since there were more materia than cadets, they could be picky with what they used. They were level one due to them not having enough experience to handle the higher level ones. All but one chose an active materia, mostly for offense. Cloud picked the curaga, which Henderson mocked him for. He ignored the guy as it wasn’t worth dealing with him. Zack was proud of his little chocobo for not letting the immature cadet get to him. However, Henderson injured himself with the fire materia. He was too arrogant to let Cloud heal him even if the blond was willing.

Nathaniel confiscated the fire materia from Henderson. He made sure to inform the others showing off wasn’t allowed and shouldn’t be encouraged. It was the best way to land in the medical wing, and the doctors there weren’t pleased to deal with foolish cadets. One in particular tended to be a bit on the sadistic side.

Zack shook his head and sighed. He knew Henderson would fail the SOLDIER entrance exams with that kind of behavior and attitude. For most of the practical section, this cadet attempted to do everything bigger and better than Cloud. Needless to say, this backfired on him. In the end, he disgraced and injured himself. Nathaniel wound up borrowing the curaga from Cloud and healing the idiot.

While Cloud placed the materia away, Zack engaged in a conversation with the recent materia teacher. He had a few things he wanted to know, particularly about Henderson. From what he saw so far, nothing was good about him. When Nathaniel pinched the bridge of his nose, he knew nothing good would come of it.

“I don’t know what he’s like in his other courses, but he shows off every time we use them,” Nathaniel said, trying not to sound tired. When dealing with people like Henderson, it made anyone tired even more so with multiple of them in one class or back to back. “This time it’s worse than usual.”

“And he had the balls to grab the fire materia,” Zack growled. If it weren’t for the two stepping in, more than just Henderson would have been hurt. He crossed his arms over his chest. “From the looks of it, you prefer to let your students pick their material. I think it’s time to change it. Idiots like him shouldn’t be given that privilege.”

Nathaniel frowned at the thought, but it made sense. For the safety of the other cadets, some measures needed to be taken in order to prevent this from happening. “I don’t like excluding anyone, but you have a point. Those who lack the maturity and basics will not be permitted to choose theirs. We’ve had close calls, but this is the worst I’ve seen.”

This made Zack curious. How far did these close calls go? Also what else did Henderson do in that class? It made him want to tell Angeal or Sephiroth so they could kick this guy’s sorry ass out of the program. There was no need for people like him in SOLDIER. Plus this cadet was a wild card. He was sure he didn’t need any more variables. Oh wait, it had to wait as Angeal wasn’t feeling well and Sephiroth wouldn’t be back for some time.

Communications to far places tended to be flaky and dropped more often than not. It became a guessing game whenever they needed to discuss anything. There was no way of knowing how much was heard correctly. Then there was the added security issues. ShinRa communications weren’t exactly secure, which was why Turks used code. Zack knew this as he worked with Turks in the past. He tried to follow their conversation but found it to be too confusing so he entertained himself with other things.

“They have to earn it,” Zack said with a slight nod. He earned everything he received and told Angeal he didn’t want anything to be handed to him. “If I had any say in it, I’d kick his sorry ass out of the program.”

“You and me both.”

Cloud emerged from the storage room. It seemed the instructor trusted him not to walk off with any of the materia. This gave the second class the warm fuzzy feelings all over. He shuffled over to Zack, a look of apprehension. “Zack…”

“Time for lunch!” Zack grabbed his slender wrist before dragging him out from the room. He slowed down when he felt some resistance. “Yes?”

“Why the rush? It’s not that good,” Cloud muttered. He stared at the floor.

“Eh? Who ever said we’re going there?” The second class slung an arm over the cadet’s shoulders, almost causing him to drop his bag. “We’re going to get the good stuff. None of that science experiment rejects. Or maybe they’ve moved onto experimenting on cadets.” He chuckled after feeling the punch Cloud gave him.

“Be serious.”

With few cadets lingering in this hallway, this made navigating it easier for the two. Zack poked and prodded Cloud to tell him about his experience so far. He refused to take no for an answer. Shy Cloud was completely cute and the blush made him cuter.

“Shouldn’t you be studying for your exams?” Cloud asked after some hesitation. They arrived at the SOLDIER mess hall. “I mean it’s in a few days.” He sounded concern about Zack’s future. That was so sweet of him.

“I know, but you know me, can’t still and whatnot.” Zack shot him a confident grin. On his first attempt, he panicked when the date came closer and closer. He studied as hard as he could, trying to fit as much in his brain, but this time was different. With his experience, he felt it shouldn’t be that hard or as hard as he remembered.

“… Valid point,” Cloud said.

“If it isn’t our team leader,” a familiar voice called out. The three third classes gathered at one table. The one who spoke was Tatsuya. “Has your sense of smell returned?”

Zack laughed. “I wish. It’s still in critical condition and not getting better.”

“Considering your condition, I’m not surprised it’s worse,” Tatsuya returned in good nature.

“What condition?”

“Being a puppy,” Lucas answered instead. He didn’t bother looking up from his plate. “Canines possess a superior sense of smell.”

“HEY!”


End file.
